Police arrested six people in separate raids on eight spots in Khon Kaen province on Sunday for alleged fraud and extortion involving rented cars, according to Post Today Online.
The raids were carried out by officers from the Central Investigation Bureau, Metropolitan Police Bureau and provincial police following an investigation by police detectives.
The raids were supervised by Pol Lt Gen Suveera Songmetta, an assistant police chief.
According to Pol Lt Gen Suveera, members of the gang went out separately to rent cars from people in the province. They then pledged the rented cars as debt payment guarantees with illegal gambling houses.
When the car owners tried to reclaim their vehicles, the gang would demand tens of thousands of baht "ransom" -- in some cases as much as 100,000 baht.
The first place raided was Ruan Phraya Palace, a traditional massage parlour near Bung Kaen Nakhon Lake in Muang district of Khon Kaen, suspected to be the gang's operations centre. A woman, Maneewan Khankham 42, was arrested. She denied working with the gang, saying she only looked for people who wanted to put their vehicles out for rent.
The police also raided a car repair shop at Ban Kham Hai in Muang district and arrested Kittichai Permwilai, 41, who also denied involvement with the gang.
Pol Lt Gen Suveera said altogether six people were arrested in the raids and six vehicles seized for further investigation. Only one person confessed to being a gang member.
He said warrants would also be sought for the arrest of two non-commissioned police officers believed to have been involved.