Undercover police set up roadside mookata gathering to stake out motorcycle racers
Police in Samut Prakan, Thailand, used an atypical undercover tactic to crack down on illegal motorcycle racers.
Authorities set up a roadside mookata gathering to blend in with youths before moving in for arrests.
The operation was carried out last Saturday (15 Aug) by officers from Bang Phli Police Station after receiving repeated complaints from residents and motorists about groups of teenagers gathering, modifying motorcycles and racing late at night.
Officers disguised themselves as diners
The operation, named “Camping: Sending Youths Back into Their Parents’ Arms”, targeted areas including Chaloem Phra Kiat Road in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Phli district.
Source: Daily News
A 16-member team of uniformed and plainclothes officers conducted surveillance.
Instead of waiting in patrol vehicles, undercover officers set up a roadside “camp” with tables, clay firepots and mookata grills.
Police spotted motorcyclists racing
Once officers detected that motorcycle racing was about to take place, they moved in.
Police surrounded the area and detained those involved for further legal action.
Source: ThaiPBS
Authorities later expanded the operation to Suvarnabhumi Canal Road, another location known for night motorcycle gatherings and street racing.
Source: Daily News
The crackdown resulted in four motorcycles being seized and eight youths being detained, who were handed over to investigators.
Police said barbecue was only a surveillance tactic
Bang Phli Police Station clarified that the roadside setup was used only as an undercover surveillance tactic to blend in and avoid alerting their targets.
“The public area was not being used for recreational purposes,” police said
After the operation ended, officers cleaned up the area and removed all equipment.
The crackdown followed another undercover operation earlier in the month, where officers reportedly disguised themselves as street racers along Bang Phli-Tamru Road before making arrests.
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Featured image adapted from Daily News.
