Three suspected members of a kidnapping gang were apprehended in a meticulously coordinated operation carried out by the Crime Suppression Division (CSD)’s elite special weapons and tactics unit, Hanuman, on Sunday. The carefully planned mission commenced at 6am, with 80 members of the Hanuman unit methodically targeting eight locations – three in Yala, four in Narathiwat, and one in Khon Kaen.
This operation was initiated in response to a harrowing incident that transpired on September 5, 2022. A group of armed assailants kidnapped a man from his home in Rangae district, located in Narathiwat province. The unfortunate victim was detained in a house, where he was brutally beaten, eventually sustaining a broken rib. The abductors subsequently contacted the victim’s relatives, demanding a ransom of 500,000 baht for his safe release. They also chillingly threatened to mutilate the victim or mercilessly torture him to death if their demands were not met.
Desperate to secure the man’s freedom, his relatives negotiated an initial payment of 300,000 baht, promising to deliver the remaining sum later on. The kidnappers reluctantly agreed and collected the money from a prearranged drop-off point in Sungai Kolok. Subsequently, the victim was released and left at a specified location, where his relieved relatives eventually found him.
Despite reaching an agreement, the unrelenting kidnappers continued to harass the victim’s family, demanding the outstanding ransom balance. Fearful for their safety, the relatives acquiesced and paid the kidnappers an additional 100,000 baht, hoping to alleviate the pressure. However, the kidnappers persisted in their ruthless pursuit of the remaining ransom payment, prompting the family to file a complaint with local police in Rangae district, who later escalated the case to the CSD.
The CSD’s extensive investigation revealed that the kidnapping gang predominantly consisted of former rangers, defense volunteers, and insurgents. Prompted by this discovery, the court issued warrants for the arrests of five suspects, including Abdulroning Salae, 39, and Andi Mama, 33.
In the extensive CSD raid that unfolded on Sunday, Abdulroning was taken into custody at his residence in Yala, while Andi was apprehended at his home in Narathiwat’s Sungai Kolok district. Simultaneously, another suspect, who remains unidentified, was arrested by CSD officers in Khon Kaen.
In the aftermath of this successful operation, the CSD plans to hold a press conference detailing the full extent of the results achieved in their relentless pursuit of justice.
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