Bangkok –
A group of seven alleged transnational organized criminals was arrested for allegedly running an online face mask scam in Thailand, the Royal Thai Police announced yesterday, September 3.
The transnational investigation between Royal Thai Police and police in Seoul and Hong Kong began after receiving a complaint from a South Korean national and two Hong Kong people that they had transferred more than 400,000 USD (12 million baht) to the website www.globalsource.com for face masks but did not receive the products.
The website was reportedly run by the group under a company called Timbermate, which promotes face masks and other related medical products to prevent the coronavirus for foreigners and people who live overseas.
Police General Suwat Jangyodsuk, director of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, told reporters: “South Korean and Hong Kong police had acknowledged the complaints with the Royal Thai Police’s Foreign Affairs Division last month after their people had lost a certain amount of money to the company, based in Thailand.”
“Our initial investigation exposed that the Timbermate company was particularly selling face masks and thermal scanners to foreigners mostly in Asia under their fake shop called Echo Sport.”
Officials from the Technology Crime Suppression Division began tracking down the suspects on August 31 and eventually caught them in Khon Kaen, Maha Sarakham, and Kalasin provinces, according to division director Suwat Jangyodsuk.
More than 150 evidence items in their possession, including computers, laptops, mobile phones, bank passbooks, ATM cards, cars, face masks, thermal scanners, and 6.14 million baht of cash were also found and seized at the scene.
4 Cameroonians, Vitian Ajeongcom Anubodem, 33, Chefor Ndongapen Yannick Jr., 27, Flobert Ayamuh, 35, and Susan Men Khemneng, 30, and 3 Thais, Kara Anubodem, 23, Warunee Pratumthip, 51, and Athitta Phantrit, 22, were detained at Maha Sarakham Provincial Police Station for further interrogation.
The suspects face several charges, including fraud, money laundry, uploading false information online, working without a work permit, and overstay.
This is the second fraud related case regarding foreign Nationals working with Thais from the African sub-continent in several days. Here is the other case.
Photo Courtesy: Matichon
