The Crime Suppression Division launched Operation Zero Shadow: Hunt, Wipe Out, Shadow to close the case. The "brutal Kangaroo Hill kidnapping and ransom" case. They raided 11 locations and arrested two former police officers along with their accomplices, who worked for illegal loan sharks and kidnapped and killed a former debt collector.
At 07:00 on 1 Feb, Pol. Lt. Gen. Nattasak Chaowanasai, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, together with Pol. Maj. Gen. Pattanasak Boobphasuwan, Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, Pol. Col. Pongpanot Chukaew, Deputy Commander of the Crime Suppression Division, Pol. Col. Anusorn Thongsai, Acting Commander of Division 6, Crime Suppression Division, and Pol. Col. Patrapol Patamawong, Commander of the Crime Suppression Special Unit, led officers from Division 6 and the Hanuman Special Operations Team in launching the operation. The operation, titled "Zero Shadow: Hunt, Wipe Out, Shadow—TAKEDOWN MAFIA in Trang Province to close the brutal Kangaroo Hill kidnapping and ransom case," was initiated.
They deployed forces to search 10 target locations in Trang, Krabi, and Surat Thani provinces, successfully arresting suspects Suchart, Cherdsak, Kittisak, and Jiraphong—four wanted by the Criminal Court on charges of "joint unlawful detention and extortion." Seized evidence included three bank passbooks, three mobile phones, and the clothing worn during the crime.
This operation stems from reports on 6 Aug 2025 GMT+7 when officers found the body of 22-year-old Surasak Chaithaweep, shot six times, with the body concealed near an oil palm plantation by Kangaroo Hill Road, Chai Buri subdistrict, Mueang district, Phatthalung province. Inside his bag was a handwritten letter to his mother stating, "I want to come home, Mom. Please help me... I beg anyone to ransom my life." Along with a list of illegal loan debts, leading authorities to believe the murder resulted from conflicts in the illegal lending business.
After finding the body, investigations revealed that before the murder, Surasak worked as part of a debt collection team for a southern loan shark group. He later had conflicts with the lenders after embezzling borrower repayments for personal use and refusing to remit principal and interest, angering the lenders. They hired former police officers, youths with past drug-related offenses, and hired guns to kidnap him, detaining him at a residence in Trang province to demand ransom from his family. When Surasak failed to repay on time and attempted to escape during captivity, the kidnappers grew angry and killed him, concealing his body near the palm plantation.
However, investigations by Division 6, Crime Suppression Division, identified the kidnappers and shooters as Suchart, Cherdsak, Kittisak, and Jiraphong. Authorities gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants, then raided suspected residences and captured all four suspects.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Nattasak said this operation aimed to arrest the perpetrators and expose those hiding behind the crime. Authorities will continue to investigate to bring influential figures or masterminds behind the scenes to justice.