Extortionists Arrested for â€˜Protection Racketâ€™

November 3, 2013

Officers of the “Centre of Protection for Children and Women,” arrested a gang of armed scammers who claimed to be Thai Government officials. These extortionists were collecting ‘protection money’ from foreign workers, who were actually legally employed.

PATTAYA – November 3, 2013 [PDN]; – At 12.10 a.m. Police Lieutenant Colonel Passakorn Paijit, the Deputy Superintendent and Inspector of Wattananakorn Police Station, who was acting to assist the work of the “Centre of Protection for Children and Women”, (Section 2), receive a complaint involving extortion. Together with Police Lieutenant Itthiphol Thongnak, Police Lieutenant Warakorn Bannasit and a police team, they arrested Mr. Kemruse Harzon aged 36, and Mrs. Kanokporn Harzon aged 27, plus Sergeant Major (1st Class) Yuthana Khanthong aged 51, who actually belongs to “The Security Office of the Thai Army.” He was carrying a “Taurus” 9mm. pistol and also had 12-9mm. cartridges in his possession, so the police arrested them at the “Little India Shop,” locates at 216/41 Soi Diana Inn, within South Pattaya City, in Thailand’s Chonburi Province.

These arrests were due to the senior commander getting a complaint from a Bangladeshi businessmen in Pattaya City, that there were groups of people claiming to be officers of ‘Internal Security Operations Command,’ who came to collect monthly payments from Bangladeshi people, who were working legally with “work permits.” If they didn’t consent to pay the gang 2,000 THB (Thai baht) ’protection money’ per person each month, then they would not be able to work in Pattaya City. This resulted in some Bangaladeshi people going to give evidence to the police, so the officers of an arresting team were commanded to inspect and take action in this matter.

The officers found Mr. Kemruse Harzon, aged 36, Mrs. Kanokporn Harzon, aged 27 and Sergeant Major 1st Class Yuthana Khanthong, aged 51, were all part of a gang of scammers involved in collecting ‘protection money.’ At the shop concerned, was Mr. Mohamnad Nasir, aged 40, who is the owner of the shop and he confirmed that the group of these three people, who claimed to be officers of the ‘Internal Security Operations Command’ were collecting money from him. Therefore the police arresting team body searched them and found the name card of Mr. Kemruse Harzon, which indicated his position as “Consultant of Internal Security Operations Command in Bangkok (Foreign Division),” plus the name card of Mrs. Kanokporn Harzon, which indicated the same position as Mr. Kemruse Harzon. They also found the “Taurus” 9mm. pistol and also had 12-9mm. cartridges in possession of Sergeant Major 1stClass Yuthana Khanthong, so the police held them for further investigations.

Initially, Mr. Kemruse Harzon, Mrs. Kanokporn Harzon and Sergeant Major 1st Class, Yuthana Khanthong,denied all accusations but the police didn’t believe them, so they have sent them to the investigation officer of the Pattaya City Police Station for prosecution and further questioning in accordance with Thai law.