Phuket, Feb 2 (TNA) — The court in Phuket issued arrest warrants for five Russian suspects who allegedly kidnapped a Russian couple on this famous southern tourist island resort and forcing them to transfer 30 million baht worth of cryptocurrency.
The police initially detained four suspect, the first two Russians were found at their resident and the other two were detained at Phuket International Airport while they were leaving the country. All of them were taken to Phuket provincial station for questioning. They failed to give the details that useful for the police’s investigation.
Honorary Consul for Russia in Phuket were reportedly meet the four suspects and also the two victims. The details of the meetings were not disclosed.
The fifth suspect, given name only “Mr. Aslan” who is accused of being a mastermind of the plan, was detain by police investigator team while he was at a massage shop in Patong beach area of Kratu district. He was taken to the police station for questioning. He was sepearted from the first four suspects.
In the latest development, the Phuket Provincial court approved the arrest warrants for five suspects. They initially denied all charges and refused to sign their names at the copy oi the arrest report. They were taken to the detaintion area pending for the prosecution processes.
The two Russian tourists ‒ a man and a woman, both not named by police ‒ were kidnapped on January 31 in front of a restaurant near Lo Rong intersection in Phuket provincial seat. They were pushed into a van and were forced to transfer cryptocurrency worth nearly or nearly 900,000 U.S. dollars or around 30 million baht to the gang. The man was beaten by the suspects.
The two were released unharmed about a kilometre from where they were abducted after the funds had been transferred.
The husband and wife, who are reportedly a weathy couple, told police that on January 31 they were riding a motorcycle from a game shop at Chalong sub-district in Phuket provincial seat to return to their accommodation in Talad Yai sub-district.
On the way, a black Hyundai van with red licence plates blocked the way and three men from the van forced them into the vehicle and used black bags to cover their heads.
They also punched the man to force them to transfer the money. The two were released unharmed about a kilometre from where they were kidnapped after the funds had been transferred. They immediately filed a complaint with local police.
The victims told police that they did not know the four Russian suspects before. They entered the country last December. The five suspects entered the country in January and they were reportedly followed the couple to monitor their behavior for a while. (TNA)
