Thai military general, the alleged 'lynchpin' in human trafficking, among 88 charged in junta-led crackdown

Dozens of people arrested in Thailand’s human trafficking crackdown, including a senior general, appeared in court Tuesday, days after the police officer in charge of the investigation tendered his resignation saying he feared for his life.

The kingdom has long been a major hub for human trafficking and people smuggling, with rights groups accusing officials of turning a blind eye to the grim trade – and even complicity in it.

Thailand’s junta launched a belated crackdown in May, a move that uncovered death camps on the Thai-Malaysia border and led to dozens of arrests but also saw thousands of migrants abandoned on land and at sea by gang masters, eventually forcing a region-wide response.

READ MORE: US report highlights suspected Thai official role in human trafficking

In court Tuesday, a panel of seven judges detailed the charges against the group of suspects, some of whom spoke Rohingya and Malay dialects as well as Thai.

One judge said all 88 defendants were accused of trafficking victims between January 2011 and May 2015.

“All 88 defendants together let victims starve, denied health treatments for sick victims and hid bodies on the mountain [camps] where they died,” she said.

Among those who appeared at the procedural hearing in court was senior army general Manas Kongpan who is charged with being a linchpin of the trade.