SONGKHLA: The deputy district chief of Rattaphum and five drug enforcement officials on Tuesday reported to police after the Songkhla Criminal Court issued arrest warrants on allegations of seeking a bribe from a drug dealer, and dereliction of duty.
National police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas said the deputy chief and "Phikhat Phairi" drugs squad leader SM1 Phairat Kaewmanee and the five officials on the team, Chalermsak Thongjaeng, Phitsanu Rattanaurai, Sutthipong Suwannachatri, Lertrit Chaiphruekkul, and Adisak Wangni, were questioned by Songkhla police.
The alleged dealer, Thanakorn Suwanchana, 35, was arrested on Monday night after selling 20,000 methamphetamine pills to an undercover agent in Rattaphum district.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said that the interrogation led to the arrests of a further six suspects who were part of Thanakorn's supply chain.
However, it was also ascertained that the gang had chatted with the deputy district chief via the Line app, and he had also called Mr Thanakorn's relatives asking for 1 million baht or 200,000 meth pills or 10 kilogrammes of crystal meth, or "ice", to release the suspect. The negotiation was conducted before the drug dealers met the team.
Deputy national police chief Pol Lt Gen Surachate Hakparn said on Tuesday that the team admitted to the accusations. Police are also treating their claim that this was the first time they sought a bribe with suspicion and are continuing to look into the matter, particularly whether threats were issued.
