Rogue cop's assets seized

Police have seized some assets of a Bangkok police sergeant major who is on the run after a major drug bust in the North, and obtained arrest warrants for six other suspects, including a former policeman.

Officers the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) on Tuesday raided a two-storey townhouse worth about three million baht belonging to the hunted man, Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas Seupho, a 42-year-old traffic squad leader stationed in Pracha Chuen district, at Pruksa Ville Housing Estate in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani.

They found the suspect’s 26-year-old common law wife, Supattra Butrasri, in the house and took her in for questioning. Police seized from the house transaction documents and a motorcycle. 

Investigators found out that Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas had only recently moved into the house, in December last year, and spent more than 300,000 baht on interior decorating.

Ms Supattra is his housewife and receives 10,000 baht every month from the fugitive officer.

Pol Gen Pongsapat Pongcharoen, a deputy police chief and ONCB secretary-general, said he had asked the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) to examine Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas’s bank accounts and follow his money trails to establish links between the suspect and others involved.  

The manhunt continues for Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas, who fled from his abandoned vehicle found to contain methamphetamine and crystal methamphetamine with an estimated street value of 760 million baht after he drove through a checkpoint in Lampang in the early hours of Monday. He allegedly fired at police pursuing him then took a civilian hostage and fled into the forest when his vehicle crashed.

Police found 2.48 million methamphetamine tablets and 5kg of crystal methamphetamine (ya ice) in his crashed vehicle.

The ONCB raid followed the confiscation of three cars, two motorcycles and a safe from the suspect’s condominium in the Rattanathibet area, Metropolitan Police Division 2 chief Suthee Nanekantee said.   

Police believe Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas has more assets and expect to identify a number of other suspects in the case.  

Pol Maj Gen Suthee said warrants had been issued for the arrest of Pol Snr Sgt Maj Manas and six other people believed to have links with the rogue officer. 

One of the other suspects is a former police senior sergeant major who resigned from the Metropolitan Police Bureau 10 years ago. 

Lampang police were in charge of the case, Pol Maj Gen Suthee said, but they would coordinate with officers at Pracha Chuen police station and the ONCB. 

Share your thoughts

Discussion 1 : 24/10/2012 at 02:19 AM
Manas, Just come out from where you hiding, This is what you have to face,, A transver to a inactive post, salary go down 5 prosent and you might have some more money in your pocket if you dont tell who is your boss,, Charlem is, or not?
Discussion 2 : 23/10/2012 at 11:08 PM
amazed d3-I have an update on the three cops guilty of murder. I read in another article where the 5 cops in total were given 100,000 baht (not sure each or if they had to split it) for performing their 'duty' and there was an accompanying article in a police magazine with these cops in full uniform accepting the money from their superior (I think the boss of their police station)who was in civilian clothes. If you want the link send me a message to my inbox as I have been having trouble with BP publishing messages with links.
Discussion 3 : 23/10/2012 at 11:00 PM
This Pol Sgt Manas is small fry. It would be better to investigate those at the top,like Chalerm and Co. He has a history of unusual wealth.
Discussion 4 : 23/10/2012 at 09:34 PM
I find Thailand and their 'Keepers of the Peace' to be unusually easy to deal with. I keep a pink envelope in the glove box and fresh bank notes in a pocket away from my wallet. I can deal with anything. Remember the old Boy Scout Motto, "Be Prepared."
Discussion 5 : 23/10/2012 at 08:12 PM
We expect nothing more from the police in Thailand, granted there must be a few good/honest ones, but the rest are corrupt, corrupt, corrupt.
Discussion 6 : 23/10/2012 at 07:42 PM
Speaking of bad cops, how about an update on the three cops guilty of murder that were released on bail?
Discussion 7 : 23/10/2012 at 07:37 PM
Another day, another scandal
Discussion 8 : 23/10/2012 at 07:27 PM
It would be interesting to check the houses and cars from every police officer – or better every government official. Just looking at the cars some of them drive is enough evidence to know that these are not possible with a police officer’s salary. And should we have any hope that this case and other criminal officers will be followed up with Chalerm in charge? Somehow I have my doubt.

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