Two more suspects in the Victoria's Secret case have been nabbed for allegedly procuring girls for the massage parlour and involving in illegal assembling as the Department of Special Investigation is making progress in a probe into its link with human traffickers.
Their arrest, unveiled by DSI chief Paisith Wongmuang, came as the Criminal Court decided Wednesday morning to postpone its ruling on another two suspects who earlier admitted to their involvement in the wrongdoings.
One of the new suspects identified as Prasoet Chaengchai, charged with arranging young prostitutes for the parlour, met DSI officers on Monday as part of the months-long investigation and search for accomplices.
The operation followed a raid on the venue on Rama IX Road in Bangkok on Jan 12 earlier this year when 80 women, including underage girls from Myanmar, had worked as prostitutes at this thinly veiled brothel.
The other suspect, a woman named Nanthawan Chaliniwat, was arrested on Jul 20 in Chachoengsao's Muang district.
The DSI found her name among users who logged into the computer system of the Lord Group, a company running four massage parlours, including Victoria's Secret.
As the chief cashier, "she probably knew the parlour's [grey] businesses," Pol Col Paisith said.
The DSI chief insisted on detaining the two, wanted on the court's arrest warrants, for more questioning.
Prosecutors earlier indicted nine suspects on human trafficking-related charges. They were accused of colluding to force nine girls, aged between 15 and 18, into prostitution at Victoria's Secret. The victims included one Thai national and eight from Myanmar.
Two of the nine suspects -- Manat Uamthap, 48, and Somchai Saeng-udom, 52 -- confessed to the wrongdoings, but Mr Somchai's lawyer said his client asked the court to delay its ruling.
Mr Somchai was preparing a petition to request for a light punishment, following his cooperation, the lawyer said.
The court set Sept 19 to hand down the ruling.
