A sacked border patrol officer, wanted for the abduction and murder of two young men in Songkhla almost 10 years ago, has been arrested in Narathiwat.
Police commandos arrested Pol Sgt Khomkrit Maneewong, 39, in front of a house in Cho Airong district on Wednesday, according to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
Khomkrit was wanted on multiple charges, including colluding in murder, illegal possession and use of firearms, and illegal detention causing deaths.
His arrest came after the bodies of two abducted men were found floating in Songkhla Lake of Sathing Phra district in June 2015.
On June 6, 2015, police at Singha Nakhon station received reports that the two young men, identified only as Phanu, 21, and Narenrit, 17, had been abducted by a group of armed men. The body of Phanu was later discovered floating in Songkhla Lake on the evening of June 7 with multiple gunshot wounds to his head and body. The following morning, Narenrit's body was found in the same lake with severe head injuries, believed to have been caused by a hard object.
The investigation shed light to the identification of suspects involved in the killings. Court approval was sought to arrest five suspects, and four were subsequently apprehended. Khomkrit, the remaining suspect, had evaded arrest until his capture on Wednesday.
The arresting team also seized five guns and ammunition from the house.
During questioning, the former officer admitted to being a suspect in the warrant. Although he denied shooting the victims, he claimed to have witnessed the incident. He was handed over to Cho Airong police.
A source reported that Khomkrit was dismissed from the border patrol police force in 2014 due to alleged involvement in illicit drug trade.
Guns and ammunition are seized from the house of the former police officer in Cho Airong district, Narathiwat province, on Wednesday. (Photo: Central Investigation Bureau)