Thai authorities have apprehended seven individuals, comprising six police officers and one civilian, in connection with an alleged scheme involving a fabricated arrest and the extortion of 165,000 USDT from a citizen of Chinese-Vanuatu descent.
**Allegations of Fraudulent Legal Coercion**
The recent arrests stemmed from a complaint lodged by a Chinese-Vanuatu national identified only as Sai, who accused the officers of orchestrating a false arrest to extort funds. Sai claims that the corrupt officers, along with a Chinese couple who acted as interpreters, employed deceptive legal threats to extract stablecoins from his family.
A local news report revealed that a total of nine police officers and three civilians participated in this illicit operation. On October 30, this group arrived at Sai's residence, brandishing what appeared to be an authentic search warrant. Utilizing this counterfeit warrant, the officers allegedly confiscated mobile phones and a computer belonging to Sai's family and threatened to accuse them of harboring illegal domestic workers. They demanded a staggering sum of 10 million USDT to drop the fabricated charges.
**Denial from Accused Officers**
Despite the accusations, Sai refuted the claims and asserted that he did not possess the equivalent in local currency of the amount sought. Following the unlawful detention of Sai and his wife at the police station for further questioning, he ultimately capitulated and agreed to pay a reduced bribe of 165,000 USDT, roughly 5.6 million baht.
Once the payment was made, it was reported that the police group generated fraudulent documentation and coerced Sai, his wife, and two other individuals into recording a video statement renouncing the charges. While the mobile phones were eventually returned, the computer remained unreturned. Doubting the legitimacy of the situation, Sai enlisted a lawyer to probe the matter, and on October 22, he lodged criminal charges against the officers involved, culminating in their arrest.
The implicated officers, who range in age from 41 to 49, have denied the allegations leveled against them. According to the report, these officers were granted temporary bail, and the National Anti-Corruption Commission is currently investigating the matter, with findings expected to be released within 30 days of the complaint.