Thai police uncover two Chinese-led online fraud rings in latest blitz against scammers
Police General Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, Inspector General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT), revealed on July 21 that intensified crackdowns on cybercrime are underway across the country.
Following a coordination meeting held on July 18, which brought together representatives from multiple agencies to review recent operations and issue renewed directives for continued enforcement, officials reported several notable developments in cybercrime cases.
One of the most notable cases, reported by Provincial Police Region 5, involved the raid of a luxury pool villa in Chiang Mai's Hang Dong district, where a Chinese-led gang had allegedly set up an online gambling and investment scam operation targeting elderly Chinese nationals.
Online gambling scam linked to over 500 million baht in losses
Acting on intelligence reports, police raided the villa located in the Ban Waen subdistrict and found 14 Chinese nationals, consisting of 11 men and three women, as well as three Myanmar nationals - a man and two women - inside.
The suspects were caught actively operating fraudulent platforms aimed at luring elderly Chinese citizens aged 60 to 80 into bogus online investments.
Officers seized 10 desktop computers and 26 mobile phones used in the scam.
According to investigators, the gang used Thailand as a base to run a call centre scheme that encouraged victims to invest via mobile applications. Once funds were transferred, contact with the victims was immediately severed.
This group had recently relocated their operation from San Sai district to Hang Dong, reportedly under the direction of a Chinese national acting as the operation's ringleader.
The move followed a police crackdown on another Chinese-run scam operation at a luxury housing estate in San Sai on June 16.
Visa loopholes and university involvement
Forensic analysis of seized equipment revealed that the suspects had entered Thailand on tourist or student visas. In many cases, those on student visas could not even name the institutions they were allegedly attending.
A subsequent investigation found that at least five universities in Chiang Mai—both monastic and private—had issued student visas to over 13,000 Chinese nationals.
Authorities believe some of these individuals exploited the visa system to reside in Thailand and carry out fraud against fellow Chinese citizens.
Preliminary estimates suggest over 100,000 Chinese victims were defrauded, with losses totalling more than 100 million yuan (S$17.9 million).
All suspects are now in custody and face charges, including public fraud and involvement in transnational criminal networks.
Authorities will coordinate with the Chinese consulate for further verification and intend to expand the investigation to identify and dismantle the wider network.
Thai police bust gang linked to call centre scam, seizing millions
Chiang Mai Provincial Police have arrested three suspects, including one Thai woman and two Chinese men, in connection with fraud and computer crimes.
The arrests were made following a warrant issued by the Chiang Mai Provincial Court for their involvement in deceiving the public and falsifying data through computer systems, which could potentially harm the public.
The arrests stemmed from a report received by the Mae Ping Police Station about a quarrel between a Chinese man and a Thai woman in front of an ATM at a popular shopping mall in central Chiang Mai.
Upon intervention, officers found scattered cash totalling over 2.6 million baht (S$103,090), prompting them to bring the suspects to the station for further investigation.
Investigations revealed that the suspects were part of a larger scam operation, led by a Chinese mastermind who tricked both Chinese and Thai nationals into investing in fraudulent schemes.
The two Chinese men arrested were responsible for managing a group of money mules who would withdraw funds and deliver them to the boss.
The Thai woman, who had taken on her first task as a money mule to pay off her debts, was caught during the operation. Police are expanding their investigation to uncover the full scope of the criminal network involved.
Gen Thatchai emphasised that with the rapid advancement of technology, online crime has become a significant threat to individuals and society.
In particular, the issue of 'money mule' accounts has emerged as a key method for criminals to launder money and defraud the public. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive strategy and cooperation from all sectors.
'The key to combating online crime is intercepting it at the source,' Gen Thatchai said. 'This includes addressing the use of companies as channels for money laundering and the opening of money mule accounts, both by Thai citizens and foreigners, which are exploited in criminal activities.'
The police have stepped up measures to control financial transactions, particularly those involving illegal cross-border withdrawals and transfers.
Additionally, Gen Thatchai highlighted the importance of preventing Thai nationals from illegally crossing borders to work in foreign countries, which often leads them to become victims or accomplices in call centre scams.
'We must have clear processes in place to repatriate Thai nationals involved in such activities to ensure efficient and humane handling of these cases,' Gen Thatchai concluded. 'This will help expedite legal actions and ensure the process is conducted in accordance with human rights principles.' -- THE NATION THAILAND/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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