Police are investigating about 60 organisations and 150 people for possible links to “Inspector Sua”, a senior officer accused of involvement in a multi-billion-baht gambling network.
Pol Lt Gen Jirabhop Bhuridej, head of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), made the disclosure after getting a progress report on Thursday from officers investigating Pol Lt Col Wasawat Makurasakul, known as “Inspector Sua”.
Pol Lt Col Wasawat, attached to the public works division under the Office of Logistics of the Royal Thai Police, has been suspended from the force for absenteeism, pending the outcome of the investigation.
Pol Col Siriwat Deephor, the CIB spokesman, said an initial investigation found that about 60 companies, cooperatives and foundations and 150 people might have links or be involved with the accused inspector by serving as nominees. Police plan to thoroughly review the links in all dimensions, including money trails, tax payments and holding of assets.
Some of the 60 organisations were illegally established, with business addresses both in the country and abroad, said the spokesman.
At this stage, Pol Col Siriwat said he could not disclose whether police officers were among the 150 individuals, but there were some famous people among them.
The CIB chief has instructed the investigation team to work to their fullest capacity to ensure the truth comes out.
Pol Col Siriwat declined to go into details about how “Inspector Sua” came to be involved in the gambling network. The investigation team needs time to thoroughly look into the allegations, he said.
If the accused inspector was found to be involved, he would not be spared from legal action, said the spokesman.
Former massage parlour tycoon and politician Chuvit Kamolvisit has alleged that Pol Lt Col Wasawat had accumulated billions of baht through online gambling and running a massage parlour through a proxy.
The “Inspector Sua” affair is one of several high-profile cases of alleged misconduct that have rocked the force.
National police chief Damrongsak Kittiprapas on Tuesday set a 15-day deadline for the completion of a related investigation into reports that a police general, identified as “General Jor”, is involved with illegal gambling and the oil trade.