ID :
366561
Fri, 05/08/2015 - 13:06
Auther :

More suspects face arrest warrants in illegal Rohingya migration in Thai South

SONGKHLA, THAILAND, May 8 (TNA) - New arrest warrants have been issued for 11 more suspects, bringing altogether 29 suspects to have faced arrest warrants for the allegedly-illegal trafficking of Rohingya Muslims in Songkhla Province in the Thai far South. Police Major General Phutthichart Ekachan, Deputy Chief of the Provincial Police Region 9, told journalists of the update on Friday, saying that Songkhla's Na Thawi Court approved arrest warrants against the 11 more suspects on Thursday night and, when two previous arrest warrants were included, 29 suspects have already been wanted altogether in the case. Police Major General Phutthichart noted that suspects who have been arrested and surrendered have given useful information, while Malaysian police have cooperated well in efforts to tackle illegal cross-border human trafficking networks. According to the deputy regional police chief, authorities have found four camps of Rohingya people over the past week and 51 temporary buildings, while 24 illegal Rohingya migrants have been rescued out of a total of 55 illegal migrants discovered. Local police have, in the meantime, guarded an old Muslim burial ground in Ban Chalung of Songkhla's Hat Yai District pending the examination of about 30 graves suspected of having connection with the illegal migration of Rohingya Muslims. Besides, authorities arrested the chief of Padang Besar Municipality in Songkhla's Sadao District, Banjong Pongphol, together with two police officers for alleged connection with the illegal immigration case, while also seeking a court order to detain the deputy chief of the same municipality, Prasit Lemleh, who turned himself in on May 7. Meanwhile, National Police Chief Police General Somyos Pumpanmuang chaired a meeting of agencies concerned in Bangkok, at which he ordered Deputy National Police Chief Police General Aek Angsananont to launch a thorough probe into all government units, vowing that he would forward all the names of government officials and relevant information to Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha or Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan if evidence showed their involvement in any alleged human trafficking network. At the meeting, the national police chief also briefed an integrated action plan under an official strategy on the prevention and suppression of human trafficking to participating police officers who were also instructed to fully prevent and crack down human trafficking and never ignore their duties or involve in the illegal act; otherwise they would be transferred from their respective areas and face criminal charges. (TNA)

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