Thailand has charged 15 officials with corruption after two Chinese suspects were released from a raid on a passport-forging den, police said Friday.
The case comes as concerns in Thailand grow about so-called “gray business” – illegal operations run by Chinese nationals.
Police raided the Pacific island of Nauru’s former consulate in Bangkok late last month after allegations that Chinese nationals were squatting there.
Officials ask for bribes
Officers inside found two Chinese men – two wanted by Beijing – making passports for citizens of other countries, Deputy National Police Chief Surachet Hakpal said.
But the two escaped, he told reporters, with the collusion of five officers from the Special Investigations Department as well as nine police officers and a military sergeant.
The official, along with a translator, took a 10 million baht ($245,000) bribe from the suspect for his help, Surachet said.
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The scheme was discovered, Surachet said, when a translator confessed after being caught trying to flee to Malaysia and a missing hard disk containing the original evidence was found.
Official reports said around 2.5 million baht were seized during the raid, but footage found on a hard drive and confirmed by a translator showed around eight million baht had been recovered.
“They told the Chinese it was not enough and asked for another four million baht,” Surachet told a news conference.
corruption
All 16 people were charged with corruption, or soliciting bribes, and 15 officials – not including the translator – were charged with abuse of power.
The military sergeant was also charged with attempting to destroy evidence after a hard drive containing images of the attack was found at his home.
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Officials and officials have denied all allegations.
“Ask for a bribe carries a severe punishment, the maximum is death,” said Surachet.
“We will further investigate whether the attack was approved by his superiors,” he said.
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