A former deputy superintendent of Special Branch Police has surrendered to police at his house to face extortion charges involving Don Muang New Market, a major cosmetics marketplace near Don Mueang airport.
Pol Lt Col Santhana Prayoonrat, adviser to Don Muang New Market, or Talat Mai Don Muang, opened his house in Lat Phrao district, Bangkok, on Saturday morning to announce his surrender to Chokechai police. He was later taken to the Chokechai police station.
Pol Maj Gen Theerapong Wongratpitak, chief of Metropolitan Police Sub-Division 4, said Pol Lt Col Santhana initially refused to sign his name to acknowledge that he had been arrested. After talks, the former officer cooperated and signed his name, said Pol Maj Gen Theerapong told Thai media.
Pol Lt Col Santhana, a former superintendent at the Special Branch Police, is among 11 suspects facing arrest warrants for allegedly extorting money from vendors at Don Muang New Market.
The former officer would be handed over to Don Muang police station for legal action, said Pol Maj Gen Theerapong. Police investigators would later decide whether to oppose his bail request. The investigators have the authority to detain the suspect for 48 hours before taking him to the Criminal Court to seek his detention on Monday, said the Metropolitan Police Sub-Division chief.
On Friday, Pol Maj Gen Surachate Hakparn, deputy commissioner at the Tourist Police Bureau, said police decided to seek the arrest warrants for the 11 suspects after interviewing more than 200 witnesses, including vendors and reviewing material evidence confiscated from the market’s head office.
The extortion allegations against Pol Col Santhana surfaced after police and officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) raided hundreds of shops at the market last week in an attempt to tackle substandard and unlicenced cosmetics and food supplements.
Pol Lt Col Santhana reportedly tried to block police during a raid carried out last week at the market, which is near Don Mueang airport.
Media reported that the former officer was taken to Don Muang police station at around 10am on Saturday.