In an audacious operation executed yesterday, officers from Thailand’s Department Of Special Investigation (DSI) apprehended a 19-year-old university student involved in the nefarious business of online child pornography peddling. The arrest occurred in a condominium situated in Pathum Thani province, on the fringes of Bangkok, confirmed Khemmachart Prakuyhongmanee, the Director of the DSI’s Technology and Information Litigation Division, in a press briefing today.
The operation, set into motion by an anonymous tip-off regarding the condo’s involvement in the illicit online sale of child pornography, witnessed the use of specialized tools. In a rather uncommon scenario, Hidu, a US-trained sniffer dog proficient in electronic device detection, plummeted the DSI authorities straight to the room of the suspect. The student was revealed to be using a LINE application group chat as his main platform to circulate child pornography extensively.
Quantifying the magnitude and depth of the abhorrent crime, the officers unearthed a staggering 5,000-plus child pornographic files during the raid. It was further discovered that these files were an output of explicit content involving a dreadful number of over 200 children victims. The graphic content, as speculated by Khemmachart, wasn’t just the handiwork of the apprehended student.
Scrutinizing the crime’s modus operandi, Khemmachart divulged that a woman aided the suspect, creating a well-crafted façade online. Armed with a charming profile picture, she targeted her victims who were predominantly boys under 18 years. By luring the innocent victims into sending their nude pictures and videos, the duo managed to generate a steady stream of exploitative content. This was then monetized by exploiting the members of their LINE group who had to buy an access package priced between 150 to 500 baht for viewing the scandalous content.
Khemmachart, however, believes that the accused student and his woman accomplice may not be the only members running this pedophile ring. The director announced that more members might be lurking behind the shadows of this heinous activity, promising a deeper investigation to apprehend all those involved.
The legal proceedings against the student have already commenced. As per Section 287 of the Criminal Law, he stands charged for processing child pornography catering to his or others’ sexual whims. The penalty for such an offence can amount to a maximum of five years in jail alongside a fine of a maximum of 100,000 baht. The student’s penalty might even intensify given the added charge of making child pornography content publicly accessible via online platforms, which might result in a jail term of up to five years and/or a fine of 100,000 baht as per Section 14(4) of the Computer Act.
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