Acting on a tip-off by “Nvader”, an anti-human trafficking group, police launched Operation “Sangkhon” on June 7, raiding the venue and rounding up 121 women – 77 of whom were found to be illegal migrants.

The Criminal Court issued |an arrest warrant on Monday for |the venue’s owner Prasert Sukki, |58, and manager Sommai Padsing, 45, on charges of procuring underage women for prostitution purposes, harbouring illegal migrants, setting up an entertainment venue without permission, allowing migrants to work without a permit or not letting them do the job stated in their permit, among others.

The two suspects allegedly escaped during the raid and were still at large as of press time. The two men have also turned off their mobile phones and could not be found at home.

Pol Colonel Chayut Marayat, deputy chief of Metropolitan Police Region 1, who is leading the investigation, said police were also looking into a list that allegedly includes the names of police who took kickbacks from the massage parlour.

Pol Colonel Nakarin Sukhonthawit, superintendent of Huay Khwang Police, said the two men could be arrested without police having to wait until they surrendered. The men are believed to still be in Thailand. Police have said that anybody found linked to the case will be arrested right away, as human trafficking is a serious crime.