BANGKOK, 17 June 2014 (NNT) – Police have arrested a gang who have been impersonating police officers and were reportedly involved in illegal ivory trade.
26-year old Rattanachai Photikul along with his seven other accomplices have been arrested by members of the Royal Thai Police Region 4. Authorities have also confiscated four ivory tusks with a combined value at 6 million baht.
The gang members have dealt with the ivory tusk sellers on the Internet and made spurious claims that they were police officers. Eventually, the sellers agreed to meet with the gang at the Bang Bua Thong District in Nonthaburi Province so that purchases can be made.
However, when the sellers arrived at the scene, the gang disguised themselves as police officers and taken them hostage inside a taxi cab. The tusks were then sold to another vendor in Bangkok’s Lat Phrao area, who noticed something amiss and reported to the police.
Investigations also reveal that this particular gang was also responsible for seven other cases of the same incident. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Rattanachai’s accomplices denied all the charges and argued that they were paid 25,000 baht each to be involved in the illegal ivory trade.
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