Australian and Syrian man arrested for allegedly forcing Moroccan women into prostitution in Bangkok’s Nana area

[webfact]

DSI busts human trafficking ring

By THE NATION

 

 

THE DEPARTMENT of Special Investigation (DSI) has busted a major human trafficking ring that allegedly forced Moroccan women into prostitution in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area.

 

DSI deputy chief Pol Colonel Songsak Raksaksakul said the agency had received a tip-off from the Alliance Anti-Trafic and other international agencies that a Moroccan woman had asked for help after being lured into prostitution.

 

The woman claimed she had been assaulted and her passport was confiscated by the gang. She also said they took video clips of her in order to blackmail and coerce her to continue in the sex trade at a night entertainment venue and a hotel in Soi Nana of Klong Toei district.

 

The director of the DSI’s Anti-Human Trafficking Centre Pol Lt-Colonel Komwit Pattanarat identified the gang members as Michael Pearl, 45, a Sudanese man holding an Australian passport; Syrian national Ghassan Wakej, 36, and an unnamed Moroccan woman. Two Thais, Chalard or Chairat Narachan, 62, and Aree or Chayakorn Eiumsaree, 45, were also identified.

 

 

Four of the suspects were in custody after police secured arrest warrants, Komwit said. Officers said Pearl had been apprehended at Suvarnabhumi Airport while he was about to board a flight to flee the country on Tuesday.

 

Wakej was arrested on the same day at an unidentified location. Both Pearl and Wakej were brought by officers in a search of their Sukhumvit hotel rooms, which reportedly yielded incriminating evidence. The two Thai suspects surrendered at the DSI office on Thursday.

 

DSI officers planned to take the four suspects to apply for their first detention period later on Thursday and to object to bail release on grounds that they are a flight risk.

 

DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang said the crackdown on human trafficking crimes was a priority for Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and Justice Minister Suwapan Tanyuvardhana.

 

 

Songsak also said the DSI would find ways to help tackle the issue of foreign women being lured into prostitution in Thailand, adding that authorities around the globe prioritised human trafficking crimes as they involved human right violations.

 

Thailand remains on Tier Two of the US State Department's 2017 Trafficking in Persons watchlist released in June.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30323449

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-11

[BasalBanality]

Is there a demand for Moroccan women amongst the local or visiting Johns?

[theguyfromanotherforum]

15 hours ago, BasalBanality said:

Is there a demand for Moroccan women amongst the local or visiting Johns?

 

Your noble concern for human slavery has been noted.

 

 

[Thechook]

So he is a Sudanese who just has an Australian passport.  Simply having a passport doesn't actually make you an Aussie. Many get the passport and leave the country.  Probably came as a so called Refugee,  fast tracked citizenship then abandoned Australia.  An Aussie passport opens up more doors than a Sudanese one.

[ezzra]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

Michael Pearl, 45, a Sudanese man holding an Australian passport

Yeah right.... 'Australian man' dinky-di true blue Aussie...

many of his compatriots have formed youth gangs that are

engaged in serious criminal activities in Melbourne...

[Toshiba66]

Michael Pearl looks too white to be Sudanese I think.

 

So these Women came here on a holiday and just got caught up being in the wrong place at the wrong time? We they here shopping for bags and shoes? Somehow I doubt that one.

[jcb2001]

I highly suspect the Australian passport is counterfeit or altered.  Time will tell.

[OmarZaid]

Full extent of the law called for . . .

[hansnl]

2 hours ago, BasalBanality said:

Is there a demand for Moroccan women amongst the local or visiting Johns?

I see it as a response to the Moroccan men forcing European girls in prostitution.

 

[jaiyen]

Just the tip of the iceberg, there are loads of African girls in Nana now.  Also more Russian and Philipinas. They werent there 2 years ago.

[ellathai]

1 hour ago, Thechook said:

So he is a Sudanese who just has an Australian passport.  Simply having a passport doesn't actually make you an Aussie. Many get the passport and leave the country.  Probably came as a so called Refugee,  fast tracked citizenship then abandoned Australia.  An Aussie passport opens up more doors than a Sudanese one.

With you on that one.

[Alphy]

Supply and Demand?? The abuse of any race any woman should not be debated so it's a positive move from the Thai Authorities and let's hope this sends a message for these <deleted> who take advantage of these unfortunate ladies. Let's hope the Courts throw the book at them and incarserate these sewer rats for a very long time.

[lonewolf99]

5 to 6 years ago you never saw an African woman in Pattaya...... I suspect they are not here to see the physical difference between the Asian Elephant and the African one......the last round up reported on here was an obvious farce and I never heard of any of them being deported from breaking visa regs.

[rosst]

The Australian government will note that conviction and he may now lose that passport and if I had anything to say he would be deported and lose any citizenship rights. 

[tonray]

I hope they get to experience sex slavery first hand in a Thai jail cell.

[British Bulldog]

I was staying on Sukhumvit road a week ago for a few days business, ran out of water in the Hotel so nipped out about 10.30pm to the local 7 Eleven store ... my God the payment was swarming with Women where they used to sell; Watches, CD's Cig Lighters etc.... I was surprised how many African women were lined up, I mean, they really stand out in a crowd, how come these aren't the first women that the local police check their passports and Visa's etc. ... ?

 

[Zack61]

Hopefully these sloths get to give themselves up as prostitutes in the Bangkok Hilton for the next 20 years. That would be karma at it'a best.

[simple1]

9 minutes ago, rosst said:

The Australian government will note that conviction and he may now lose that passport and if I had anything to say he would be deported and lose any citizenship rights. 

If the guy is holding a legitimate Oz passport, convicted and sentenced to more than a year in prison and a dual citizen, more than likely he will be deported from Australia. Many criminal foreign nationals being  deported. If the OP is correct and the Moroccan national is found guilty, she's a traitor to her people and deserves the harshest punishment.

[Stargeezr]

What is with these African people from many parts of that country. They get some other country's Passport just to go to some other place and commit crimes. Nigeria, Sudan, Chad, Uganda, and Kenya are some places I have seen where people have done this kind of practise. Did I miss any other parts of Africa where this has happened. Is it in the water?

Geezer

[steven100]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

women into prostitution in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area.

Well I never    !!     this needs to stop immediately.  I hope this won't tarnish Thailands reputation.

[Rancid]

2 hours ago, Toshiba66 said:

Michael Pearl looks too white to be Sudanese I think.

 

So these Women came here on a holiday and just got caught up being in the wrong place at the wrong time? We they here shopping for bags and shoes? Somehow I doubt that one.

Don't make a comment like that on the pro-immigration Guardian Oz edition or it would get you banned, only progressive feel good PC comments welcome there.

 

You are right of course though, we take in some pretty low life characters these days under the PC umbrella while better, more suitable applicants are denied.

[lemonjelly]

If he's Sudanese, I'm Chopin.


Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect

[Machiavelli]

2 hours ago, Thechook said:

So he is a Sudanese who just has an Australian passport.  Simply having a passport doesn't actually make you an Aussie. Many get the passport and leave the country.  Probably came as a so called Refugee,  fast tracked citizenship then abandoned Australia.  An Aussie passport opens up more doors than a Sudanese one.

Last time i checked you stole it from the Aborigines. 

[UnkleMoooose]

Moroccan women in Bangkok? That really is bringing the sand to the beach. And the camels too......................................

[Bluespunk]

2 hours ago, Toshiba66 said:

Michael Pearl looks too white to be Sudanese I think.

 

So these Women came here on a holiday and just got caught up being in the wrong place at the wrong time? We they here shopping for bags and shoes? Somehow I doubt that one.

Ah, how refreshing. 

 

Victim blaming. 

[InMyShadow]

Good work!

[Dipterocarp]

Is there a demand for Moroccan women amongst the local or visiting Johns?

There is something for everyone down there these days. Cantina scene from StarWars comes to mind.
A middle eastern woman in a Chador accosted me soliciting sex once recently.

[sawadee1947]

5 hours ago, BasalBanality said:

Is there a demand for Moroccan women amongst the local or visiting Johns?

Yeah, they are very good in FRENCH

[charmonman]

2 hours ago, jaiyen said:

Just the tip of the iceberg, there are loads of African girls in Nana now.  Also more Russian and Philipinas. They werent there 2 years ago.

I would question your timing a bit. I can't recall exactly when but I'm sure it was well over 2 years ago there were hordes of African hookers hanging around in the area between Sukhumvit soi 3 and 5, although they probably didn't make it down soi 4. I think it comes in waves. Also at least a couple of years ago the Rajah hotel coffeeshop was full of Russian/Eastern European/Central Asian hookers. I used to stay nearby and walked past quite often. As for the Filipinas, you may be right, I don't recall any of them though I think they would blend in pretty well with the Thais.

 

If you go back further than 2 years, lets say 15 or 20, then I'm sure foreign hookers were pretty rare.

 

The whole Nana area has been getting more and more ugly, sad and depressing with each passing decade.

[chilli42]

Have to believe that the Thai authorities will want to make an example of this case to show how much they are doing to stamp out slavery. These guys are truly screwed ... as they should be.