Police impostors arrested for attempting to bribe officers to release illegal Chinese immigrants

Officers from Chiang Saen Police Station in the northern province of Chiang Rai arrested four suspects for posing as high-ranking police officers and attempting to bribe the police with 350,000 baht in exchange for the release of four Chinese nationals who illegally entered the country.

The situation unfolded after officers from Chiang Saen Police Station apprehended a Thai national along with four Chinese people at the border at the Golden Triangle on Friday, May 19 after they illegally entered Thailand.

After the arrest, a Thai woman named Tai contacted the police and requested the release of the Chinese nationals. Soon after, another person, a Thai man named Tong, contacted the officer over the same case. Tong claimed that he was a police officer working closely with the Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police (RTP), Torsak Sukvimol.

Officers reported the incident to the Chiang Saen Police Station superintendent and then asked the two people to meet at the police station.

On the appointed date, Tai and a man named Soonchai visited the police station and offered a 350,000 baht bibe in exchange for the release. After the officers pretended to agree, Tai went back to her car to get the money and came back with another man named Sarawut.

As soon as the illegal actions became evident, the officers then moved in to make the arrests. Tai, Tong, Soonchai, and Sarawut were arrested along with the seizure of the 350,000 baht bribe, 450,000 baht found in the vehicle, the car, eight mobile phones, one walkie-talkie, and two counterfeit police uniforms.

The four suspects now face charges of conspiring to bribe an officer, impersonating an officer, and possessing and using unlicensed communication devices.

Subsequent investigations revealed no connection between the suspects and Deputy Torsak. It is believed that they illicitly used his name and position to gain credibility and intimidate the police officers involved.

Authorities are working to determine whether these suspects have been involved in other criminal activities under the guise of high-ranking police.

Recently, there have been incidents where the name and picture of Torsak were exploited by a Thai man with a mental health problem who created a fake social media profile of Torsak to flirt with women.

The man was later arrested and released as Torsak said he did not cause any damage or lure anyone. He warned the public to beware of his fake social media profile emphasising that he did not participate in any form of social media.