Police Bust Major Under Age Human Trafficking Ring Leader

BANGKOK – In a major crackdown, Thai anti-trafficking police recently arrested a notorious prostitution broker in Samut Prakan. The 38-year-old suspect, identified as Saran Sonphet, lured young girls into an illegal sex trade network. Authorities quickly confirmed that this trafficking ring exploited over 50 underage victims during its active operation.

Operating under the online alias “Yod The Kids,” the suspect boldly claimed he would never stop. Undercover officers launched a covert investigation after discovering his secret network on popular messaging smartphone apps.

Key Takeaways

Major Arrest: Police captured a 38-year-old broker known as “Yod The Kids” for running a massive underage prostitution ring.
Numerous Victims: The suspect confessed to luring more than 50 young girls into the illegal and dangerous sex trade.
Repeat Offender: The trafficker had a prior 2022 conviction for distributing illegal media, highlighting a dangerous escalation in his crimes.

Luring Victims Through Social Media

Saran targeted vulnerable girls under the age of 18 through two primary and highly manipulative methods. First, he actively used various social media platforms to reach out to potential young victims online. Second, he directly befriended young teenagers living near his local neighborhood in the Dan Samrong area.

The suspect often started conversations with a simple, deceptive question about making fast and easy money. Once a young girl showed interest, he quickly revealed the true and illegal nature of the work. He then carefully negotiated the service fees and strictly laid out the illegal conditions for everyone.

To market these young victims to his clients, the broker used a highly organized digital system. He forced the girls to hold signs displaying his alias as proof of their network involvement. He then posted these photos, along with physical details and prices, into a secret VIP group.

This trafficking operation functioned with a highly clear and deeply unfair financial structure for all involved. Saran did not take a cut from the actual service fees earned by the young victims. Instead, he explicitly charged his wealthy clients a separate finder’s fee for his illegal matchmaking services.

A Troubling Criminal History

Clients paid exactly 500 baht to be introduced to one single girl for an illegal encounter. They could also pay 1,000 baht for three recommendations or 1,500 baht for unlimited network access. Meanwhile, the young girls reportedly earned between 3,000 and 5,000 baht per illegal session with these buyers.

This recent arrest is certainly not the suspect’s first serious encounter with Thai law enforcement agencies. Back in January 2022, police arrested Saran during a major crackdown on illegal online media distribution. Investigators ultimately found a massive collection of illegal content safely stored on his personal computer hard drive.

During that previous case, the local criminal court sentenced him to 12 months in a state prison. However, the local judge suspended the strict sentence for two years, giving him a chance to reform. Unfortunately, he directly used this newfound freedom to build a much more dangerous human trafficking empire.

Following his latest arrest, Saran confessed to all criminal charges and admitted his preference for underage victims. Police have officially charged him with multiple severe crimes, including human trafficking and terrible child abuse. Local authorities are now working hard to provide necessary psychological support to all the rescued victims.