DSI seeks 45 more indictments

DSI seeks 45 more indictments

The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) submitted the final part of its investigation report on alleged human trafficking at the Victoria's Secret massage parlour to prosecutors yesterday.

It seeks the indictment of 45 suspects.

The 17,000-page report, contained in 72 files, was sent to the Department of Trafficking in Persons Litigation (DTPL) under the Office of the Attorney General.

Last week, the DSI submitted the first part of its investigation involving human trafficking and prostitution committed outside the country, which sought the indictment of seven suspects, according to a DSI source who asked not to be named.

They included Kampol Wirathepsuporn, the massage parlour owner, accused of colluding with a transnational criminal syndicate to commit human trafficking, according the DSI source. Mr Kampol remains at large.

The second report dealt with alleged human trafficking and prostitution committed inside the country, according to Pol Lt Col Suphat Thamthanarak, director of the DSI's division handling human trafficking cases.

The 45 suspects named in the report were divided into four groups, namely the owners of the massage parlour, the parlour's receptionists, the cashiers and who supplied the girls, according to Bodin Saensradee, deputy DTPL chief.

Prosecutors were reviewing the reports and were expected to decide who would be indicted before Thursday, he said.

Thursday is the last day police can legally detain the suspects without formal charges, according to Mr Bodin.

He said most if not all the named suspects would probably be indicted.

Commenting on Mr Kampol, who is believed to have fled Thailand, Mr Bodin said the Office of the Attorney-General's foreign affairs division was coordinating the manhunt for him.

Despite Mr Kampol being still at large, this should not affect any legal proceedings brought against him and the other suspects, he added.

The human trafficking case made headlines on Jan 12 after DSI officials raided the massage parlor in Bangkok's Rama IX area.

Some 80 women believed to have been forced into prostitution were rescued and included several illegal aliens, some of whom were underage girls from Myanmar. The case allegedly involves a human trafficking network that has tentacles stretching across Myanmar, Malaysia and Thailand.

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