Wichit –
A major illegal lending operation was dismantled in Wichit following a police investigation that led to the arrest of a 61-year-old man and the seizure of dozens of vehicles allegedly used as collateral in high-interest loan schemes.
Acting on public complaints about suspicious vehicles parked without license plates along Charoenlap Soi, officers from Wichit Police Station launched a targeted operation that culminated in the arrest of Mr. Atthawut, a local resident of Wichit.
The suspect was apprehended near the roadside and later at a rented room in the same area. Authorities seized 12 motorcycles, 5 sedans, 1 pickup truck and 46 sets of vehicle pawn documents.
The investigation was prompted by reports from residents who noticed multiple unregistered vehicles abandoned along the street and motorcycles concealed under covers near rental units.
Upon inspection, officers discovered six unregistered cars and six motorcycles hidden outside the suspect’s room. Mr. Atthawut admitted to pawning the vehicles from clients in urgent need of cash, charging an interest rate of 10% per month—well above the legal limit.
Further search inside the rented room revealed six additional motorcycles, bringing the total to 12. All vehicles were impounded, and Mr. Atthawut was charged with operating an unauthorized personal loan business and imposing interest rates exceeding legal thresholds.
Pol. Col. Somsak Thongkliang, Wichit Police Chief, expressed gratitude to the community for their vigilance. “Thanks to the public’s cooperation, we were able to intercept this unlawful activity and begin the process of returning seized assets to rightful owners,” he stated.
