Puff, cuff, and rough: Thai cop busted for smuggling after crash
A Thai police officer got himself arrested for illegal cigarette smuggling after a car accident in the eastern province of Trat yesterday, February 16, and sustained serious injuries.
Officers from Ban Tha Luan Police Station responded to the accident on Sukhumvit Road at 6.30pm yesterday. They found the police vehicle crashed into a roadside lamp post. The driver was identified as 37 year old Police Sergeant Major Ekkaphon Niyom from Provincial Police Region 2.
Ekkaphon suffered severe injuries, including wounds and bruises across his body. He also complained of back and abdominal pain, prompting the Lak Koh Rescue Foundation to transport him to Trat Hospital.
During a search of the vehicle, officers discovered over 300 illegal cigarettes imported from abroad. The contraband was packed in a dark blue plastic box, which was concealed in a black rubbish bag.
Montri Jina, Superintendent of Ban Tha Luan Police Station, informed MGR Online that the Provincial Police Region 2 commander would wait for Ekkaphon to recover before questioning him about how many times he used the official vehicle to commit such crimes.
Ekkaphon has been temporarily removed from his position. If found guilty of smuggling cigarettes, he will face disciplinary action following police regulations and criminal law.
Officers from Ban Tha Luan Police Station are stationed at the hospital to ensure Ekkaphon does not evade arrest.
This incident adds to ongoing allegations of police corruption in Thailand. In January, a Thai woman accused a police officer in Chon Buri province of selling her personal information and that of her father to a call centre scam gang in Cambodia.
The woman discovered that a call centre scammer posted her information on a social media platform and began investigating how the scammer obtained her details. She traced the breach to an officer from Bor Win Police Station, who was the last person to access her information via the official database.
The woman sought assistance from the non-profit organisation Saimai Survive, which brought public attention to the case. However, no further developments in the matter have been reported.
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