Trafficking investigation to be completed in June
Play
The investigation into the trafficking of Rohingya migrants is expected to be completed in June, assistant national police chief Gen Aek Angsananont said on Monday.
He was speaking after chairing a meeting of police assigned to look into the smuggling of migrants into Thailand.
They are trying to piece together evidence in connection with the areas where the migrants were found. The sites include Tambon Padang Besar in Songkhla province, Satun, and Ranong.
The evidence obtained to date indicates that the trafficking was a transnational crime and this charge would be included in the charges already made against the suspects.
Aek added that they would try to finish the interrogations as soon as possible and that he expected the investigation to be completed in June.
Of the 77 individuals believed to have been involved in trafficking, 46 have already been detained. The 31 others remain at large.
“Interrogation of the detained 46 suspects has already taken place. The police intend charging the suspects with transnational crime in addition to the other three charges made earlier. These are human trafficking, assisting aliens to enter Thailand illegally as well as unlawfully detaining others and kidnapping them for ransom,” he said.
Many of the suspects have already admitted the crimes though key suspects continue to deny the charges.
