The Department of Special Investigation (DSI) is seeking a warrant for the arrest of Col Saw Chit Thu, leader of the Myanmar junta-allied Karen Border Guard Force (BGF), and two other high-ranking officers on charges of transnational human trafficking, said Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong on Tuesday.
The other two suspects are Lt Col Mote Thone and Maj Tin Win, said a DSI source.
The BGF reportedly controls Shwe Kokko project, a transnational organised crime hub, which has developed in Shwe Kokko town near Myawaddy in Karen State of Myanmar.
Thailand will next seek the cooperation of Myanmar along with efforts by Asean and China in coordinating the arrest of these suspects, said Pol Col Tawee when asked how Thailand plans to apprehend the three high-ranking officers in Myanmar.
"To arrest these suspects isn't difficult actually. It, however, will largely depend on how much [regional] leaders want to help. If they really see this [transnational crime] as a threat to their countries, they will have to," he said.
The minister insisted the warrants are backed by solid evidence, which the DSI has been gathering for some time, and include details of the money trails involved.
The Thai government is working closely together with the US embassy in Thailand as a number of US citizens have also fallen victim to gangs operating in Myanmar, he said.
Aside from these three key suspects there are more suspects who face arrest, including two Thai nationals who work for a company that operates a resort both in Thailand and Myawaddy, said the same DSI source.
Pol Maj Worranan Srilum, DSI spokesman, said on Tuesday that the DSI has yet to submit its request for the fresh warrants although its meeting with prosecutors at the Department of the Trafficking in Persons Litigation on Tuesday afternoon was to discuss related matters.
"This transnational human trafficking case involves seven Indian nationals who were rescued recently by Thai authorities from a call centre scam den located in a casino called Heng Sheng in Myawaddy, just opposite Tak's Mae Sot district in Thailand," said the same source.
