Four men in US$100,000 extortion attempt caught by police at a café in Phnom Penh
- From: "Chim" <ChimS1@xxxxxxx>
- Date: 26 Mar 2007 15:56:42 -0700
Four men in US$100,000 extortion attempt caught by police.
Authorities arrested four men on Friday afternoon - one of whom works
for a deputy prime minister - for reportedly attempting to defraud a
widow of US$100,000, newspapers report.
The men were arrested at a café in Phnom Penh's Daun Penh district,
during a meeting they arranged to receive money from the victim. The
four had threatened Suon Devi, 51, from Sihanoukille municipality's
Stung Hav district that they would confiscate more than three hectares
of her land if she did not pay up, reports Rasmey Kampuchea.
The authorities confiscated US$20,000, a K-54 handgun, a Toyota
Corolla, four mobile phones, and some documents at the scene,
according to Koh Santepheap.
Sear Sambath, a high-ranking official from the national gendarmerie,
claimed that the crackdown was implemented through a direct order from
National Military Police Chief Sao Sokha, after he received a
complaint from Suon Devi, writes Rasmey Angkor.
Two of the four claimed to be working for the Council of Ministers,
said Sao Sokha. "They are gangsters claiming to be staff for the
National Authority on Land Disputes," he said, "We are not really sure
yet whether they are really staff of the council of ministers,"
reports The Cambodia Daily.
The four include Suong Sokhen, 32, from Phnom Penh's Meanchey
district, an assistant to Rural Development Minister and Deputy Prime
Minister Lu Lay Sreng; Pen Sunna, 32, a staffer at a medicines
company; Say Saveun, 61, a construction worker from Stung Hav
district; and Chum Saveun, 41, a prison official, according to Rasmey
Kampuchea.
The forgers used names from the Council of Ministers, and that of
Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, in order to extort money from the
victim. The victim said that on February 24, 2007, led by Suong
Sokhen, the four threatened her with the confiscation, setting March
24 as the handover-date for the money, writes Koh Santepheap.
Military police are in charge of the investigation, but are working in
cooperation with the municipal force, according to Hy Pru, deputy
municipal police commissioner, writes The Cambodia Daily.
Whether or not any of the four are actually from the Council of
Ministers, Sok An has told the military police to "take action
according to the law," adds the newspaper.
.
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