DSI arrested alleged offender of online human trafficking syndicate operating all over the country

DSI arrested alleged offender of online human trafficking syndicate operating all over the country

         Acting DSI Director-General Police Major Suriya Singhakamol has ordered the Director of Surveillance and Intelligence Center Mr. Withawat Sukantharos, Head of Surveillance and Intelligence Division Mr. Wuttikrai Sritawat Na Ayuttaya, and the Center’s operations team to jointly arrest the alleged offender under the Criminal Arrest Warrant in Special Case No. 9/2564, in case of online human trafficking syndicate operating in many provinces countrywide. This is to follow the DSI operational guidelines, prescribing that DSI officers shall speed up criminal investigation and arrest of alleged offenders under special case arrest warrants.

         The arrest of the alleged offender in such case is in response to the informed source reporting to the DSI that there was a syndicate committing online child prostitution of girls under 18 years via social media platforms, both on Twitter and Line applications, in the western part of the country. The DSI Director-General then approved the investigation under Section 23/1 of the Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547(2004) and its amendments and granted approval for this online human trafficking syndicate case to be Special Case No.9/2564, which is an offence according to Anti-Human Trafficking Act, B.E. 2551(2008) and its amendments, as provided in the Annex Attached to Special Case Investigation Act, B.E. 2547(2004). 

         Later on, the operations team of Surveillance and Intelligence Center investigated and found that the alleged offender under Criminal Arrest Warrant No.226/2565 in Special Case No. 9/2563 were engaged in activities in an area of Kanchanaburi Province. The team then visited the area to investigate for more information. On 14 February 2023, the operations team succeeded in locating the alleged offender around the area of Pha Suk Market, Ban Tai Subdistrict, Mueang Kanchanaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province. The alleged offender was arrested and charged with an offence of conspiring to commit human trafficking with more than 2 accomplices, etc., which is in accordance with Sections 4, 6, 9 and Section 52 of  the Anti-Human Trafficking Act, B.E. 2551(2008) and its amendments, Section 4 and Section 9 of the Prevention and Suppression of Prostitution Act, B.E. 2539 (1996), Section 83 and Section 282 of the Criminal Code, and Section 26 and Section 78 of the Child Protection Act, B.E. 2546 (2003). Subsequently, the alleged offender was sent to Special Case Inquiry Officials of Human Trafficking Bureau to be prosecuted according to the law and then presented to Criminal Court, located on Ratchadaphisek Road, Bangkok, for detention on 16 February 2023.