Tourists in Thailand kidnapped by fake cops, $75K ransom paid
Five Chinese tourists were kidnapped from a hotel in the capital of Thailand. The kidnappers demanded a ransom of 2.5 million Thai baht, equivalent to over $75,000.
9:20 AM EDT, May 13, 2024
This incident might sound like it's straight out of a crime movie, but it indeed occurred. In late April 2024, an organized criminal group kidnapped five tourists from China.
The scammers posed as police officers
According to The Nation, on April 25, several men posing as police officers broke into the hotel room of the tourists. The guests, caught off guard, were falsely accused of breaking local laws.
The impostors instructed the tourists to accompany them to the station for further investigation. Hotel surveillance footage captured the men escorting the tourists out and driving away in four cars.
The officers handling the case discovered that the scammers had instructed the tourists to transfer a ransom of 2.5 million Thai baht, or over $75,000, to a bank account.
The tourists were released after the ransom was paid
Under the threat of detention and possible harm, the tourists complied and transferred the requested amount. Following the payment, they were released. The relieved tourists reported the ordeal to the police, who identified and arrested the culprits. Ten individuals were apprehended.
Among the arrested were a police sergeant, formerly employed at a police communication center for crises and a chief investigator in Bangkok who was dismissed in 2023. One suspect from the criminal group is still at large.
