Ex-cop, two accomplices arrested in diamonds sale scam

Retired Pol Sgt Maj Kriangsak Dangkong, 63, (second left), and alleged accomplices are arrested in front of Nakhon Chaisi Hospital in Nakhon Pathom on Wednesday for colluding in fraud in the sale of diamonds worth over 7 million baht. (Photo taken from@Policenewspage Facebook)

A former policeman and two alleged accomplices have been arrested in Nakhon Pathom for alleged collusion in swindling a person out of 7 million baht through a diamond sales fraud.

Crime Suppression Division police on Wednesday detained former Pol Sgt Maj Kriangsak Dangkong, 63, Panu Panniam, 56, of Chumphon, and a woman, Supinda Khlaisuban, 44, of Samut Sakhon, in front of Nakhon Chaisi Hospital in Nakhon Pathom province.

The trio were wanted on arrest warrants issued by Bangkok North Municipal Court on Jan 21 this year for alleged collusion in fraud.

Earlier, CSD police arrested a woman, Jutharat Nawarat, 55, of Nakhon Pathom, on April 8 in the same case.

Mr Kriangsak, who was formerly of Song police station in Phrae province, and his three co-suspects allegedly lured a person into giving them 18 pieces of diamond jewellery, valued at more than 7 million baht, between January and May 2017, on the understanding they would sell them to wealthy customers. The gang also borrowed about 500,000 baht from the victim, according to CSD police.

When the victim later asked for payment for the diamonds and repayment of the loan, the suspects kept delaying. The victim then sought help from the CSD.

The suspects admitted they were the people named in the arrest warrants, but denied all charges, Thai media reported.

They were handed over to CSD sub-division 4 for legal action.