Ten years ago, an anonymous sketch of a woman sparked a decade-long hunt that led to the arrest of the final suspect, Sompong Soithong, in a notorious human trafficking case. A single sketch was all the police from the Anti Trafficking in Persons Division (ATPD) had when they began their search.
The case was a tough nut to crack. “It’s a tough job, but if we didn’t do it, who would?” said Pol Maj Gen Sarut Kwaengsopha, commander of the ATPD, after his team nabbed the suspect in Samut Prakan this Wednesday. This arrest marks the closure of a dark chapter in Thailand’s fight against human trafficking.
On September 16, Pol Maj Gen Sarut ordered Pol Col Korkiat Wuthijumnong, superintendent of Sub-Division 1, to arrest 62-year-old Sompong Soithong, using a warrant from December 19, 2014. Pol Lt Col Burin Kapittha, an inspector, made the arrest under Pol Col Korkiat’s directive.
Soithong faced serious charges: collusion in human trafficking through forced labor, using threats and force to deprive people of their liberty, and enslaving them. She was also accused of bringing people into or out of the country and trading in human beings.
The arrest was the climax of painstaking detective work. Pol Maj Gen Sarut had spearheaded a drive to locate old arrest warrants linked to brutal labor trafficking cases. “Cases related to labor trafficking that are extremely brutal and treat victims as if they are not human must be eliminated,” he stressed.
Pol Col Korkiat directed his team to trawl through old files to find warrants with troubling patterns of abuse. Among these files, they uncovered the sketch of a woman drawn from a victim’s statement. No one knew her name.
In 2012, the ATPD had received intel from the Department of Social Development and Welfare about victims tricked by illegal labor brokers. Promised good pay on fishing boats, these unsuspecting individuals were instead taken to a karaoke bar in the Pak Nam Samut Prakan area and forced to sign slave-like contracts. Confined in rooms, they were forbidden to escape.
The victims were then shipped off on fishing boats where they endured severe mistreatment. One victim was nearly beaten to death and left to drift in the sea. Miraculously, he survived by clinging to life for three days before being rescued by a Vietnamese cargo ship and eventually making his way back to Thailand after months of travel. This survivor’s harrowing story became a key piece of evidence in the ATPD’s investigation.
Officers from Crime Suppression Division 1 pieced together evidence and revisited the files of five suspects. Four had been apprehended, but one remained elusive, identified only by the haunting sketch.
Intriguingly, during file reviews, the team discovered that the previously arrested suspects had mentioned the name of a woman, which they linked to the unknown criminal. No arrest warrant existed for this name, but they hypothesized it matched the woman in the sketch.
“We looked up the name in our system and found two individuals with similar names and ages,” Pol Col Korkiat explained. The challenge was now to identify which one of these individuals was the sketch’s subject.
They sought to have the victim who had initially given the statement verify the suspect’s identity. This proved difficult as the victim was wanted on over ten arrest warrants, including for drug trafficking. Once back to square one, the team decided to consult those already convicted in the human trafficking case. One such convict was out on bail, fighting the case in the Supreme Court. He confirmed Ms. Sompong was indeed involved in the human trafficking ring and matched the sketch.
Police tracked her down to a grocery shop in Samut Prakan, arm’s length from where the crimes took place twelve years ago. Confronted by police, she initially denied her identity. However, under intense interrogation, she admitted to acting as the intermediary, ferrying victims from bus stations to karaoke bars for money. She claimed ignorance of the victims’ final destinations.
Remarkably, Ms. Sompong had previous charges of human trafficking and had served three years in prison before being released and then re-arrested. “This case exemplifies how diligent efforts and just a sketch can track down a criminal,” Pol Col Korkiat remarked.
Pol Lt Col Burin emphasized the importance of pursuing the many pending cases that feature sketches of suspects still at large. “The investigation can be broadened based on the sketches to include additional suspects who are still at large,” he insisted.
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Finally, this monster is off the streets! It’s terrifying to think how many lives were ruined by this one individual.
Agreed. But, let’s not forget she wasn’t working alone. The whole human trafficking network needs to be dismantled.
Police forces are limited, Jake. They can’t dismantle what’s hidden and protected by corruption and fear.
True, but this case shows that even long-term investigations can yield results. Persistence is key.
Absolutely, Michael. It’s a testament to the dedication of those officers who refuse to give up, even after so many years.
I can’t believe it took them a decade to catch her. What a failure of the justice system!
The justice system has its flaws, no doubt, but think about the complexity of such cases. It’s not always straightforward.
True, but surely there should be faster ways to track down such dangerous criminals. We need better tech!
Plus, the international nature of her operations must have made it way more complicated. It’s not just about tech; it’s about jurisdictional limitations.
They should throw her in jail and throw away the key. Why even allow for such leniency in the first place?
Everyone deserves a fair trial, even criminals. That’s what separates us from them.
A fair trial shouldn’t mean light sentences for inhumane crimes. Justice needs to be tough on people like her.
The justice system does need to be firm, but bypassing due process undermines our whole legal framework.
How do people like Ms. Sompong manage to elude capture for so long? There must be some serious blind spots in law enforcement.
It’s remarkable that they finally got her. These criminals are sneaky and tech-savvy themselves.
This news just makes me lose faith in any protective entity. If it takes a decade and the re-arrest of someone who’s already been in prison, what’s the point?
Think of it this way: they did manage to close this case despite all odds. It’s better late than never.
I get that, Dianne, but it still doesn’t inspire confidence. What about the countless cases still unresolved?
I think we just need stronger international cooperation on these issues. It’s a global problem requiring global solutions.
Larry, international cooperation isn’t that easy. Different laws and jurisdictions can complicate things immensely.
I hope this case raises more awareness. People need to know such horrors exist in our world.
Just goes to show that no matter how long it takes, justice can be served. Kudos to the ATPD!
Indeed! These officers deserve recognition for their relentless pursuit.
Can’t imagine the trauma those victims endured. I hope they find some peace now.
I think the story of the survivor who drifted for days is just incredible. The human spirit is so resilient.
Yes, it’s amazing he survived, but it’s also heartbreaking to consider the agony he went through.
I worry about the other victims still caught in such heinous networks. When will we be able to truly put an end to human trafficking?
Soithong already served time before and was released. How was she allowed back into society without stringent monitoring?
This just proves that the human trafficking problem is far from over. We need more surveillance and proactive measures.
The fact that she was so close to where the crimes took place is infuriating. Makes you wonder about law enforcement’s efficiency.
I think it’s important to acknowledge the efforts of the police. Catching these criminals isn’t easy, and they kept at it for ten years.
That’s true. It shows a level of dedication and determination that’s quite impressive.
I wonder how many more are hiding, feeling safe because their cases are so old and cold.