Thai police arrested a 43-year-old Iranian man in Pattaya, a seaside resort city southeast of Bangkok, for posing as a police officer and extorting money from two Indian nationals, local media reported on Tuesday.
The suspect, identified as Noureddin Morteza Imani, allegedly demanded US$300 from the victims on Sukhumvit Road on October 1 after claiming they had committed offenses, Daily News reported. CCTV footage later showed him exchanging the cash at a money exchange shop, police said.
The two victims, Gaganddepp Singh, 32, and Prabhdeep Singh, 20, filed a complaint on October 5 at Bang Lamung Police Station. Police traced the rented motorcycle used in the incident and arrested Imani at his residence, where they also found he had overstayed his visa by more than a month.
Imani denied direct involvement and blamed a friend, but police said video evidence linked him to the extortion. Authorities are still searching for the second suspect.
Police said Imani faces extortion charges carrying up to five years in prison and a fine of 100,000 baht, along with immigration charges for overstaying his visa.
