Thailand has requested assistance from Laos after issuing an arrest warrant for a rogue police chief believed to have tortured and killed a drug suspect.
A court in Nakhon Sawan, Thailand, has issued arrest warrants for a police chief known as ‘Jo Ferrari’ and six subordinates for the alleged torture and killing of a suspect, with some worrying he may have fled to Laos, according to Lao Post.
The Nakhon Sawan Provincial Court issued arrest warrants on Wednesday following the release of a video clip on social media depicting a group of police officers torturing a suspected drug dealer by suffocating him with a plastic bag.
Police Chief Thitisan Utthanaphon is known as “Jo Ferrari” because of his large collection of sports vehicles, including a Lamborghini limited-edition Aventador LP 720-4 50 Anniversary special.
He was the first Thai to own this type of vehicle.
The 24-year-old drug suspect, identified as Mr. Jeerapong Thanapat, was found dead on 6 August at Muang police station in Nakhon Sawan.
Jeerapong and his wife had been arrested with 100,000 methamphetamine tablets on a bypass road in the province.
A junior police officer submitted a complaint alleging that Chief “Jo Ferrari” wanted two million baht from Jeerapong to secure the release of himself and his girlfriend.
After the suspect died, the supervisor directed his staff to tell others that the suspect had overdosed.
Head of the Immigration Bureau Sompong Chingduang, said on Wednesday that he had issued a full border alert for Pol Col Thitisan and any collaborators who could try to escape the country.
Meanwhile, authorities of Thailand have collaborated closely with relevant sectors to monitor the natural border between Laos and Thailand.
