Pattaya, Thailand – In a coordinated effort to combat transnational crime, Chonburi Provincial Police and Pattaya City Police arrested a call center gang consisting of Chinese and Korean nationals who were using luxury properties in Pattaya as a base for their fraudulent operations.
At approximately 4:00 p.m. on December 12th, 2024, Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiat Jindakhuansong, Commander of Chonburi Provincial Police, and Pol. Col. Nawin Thirawit, Chief of the Pattaya City Police Station, led a team of officers from both units to raid two locations in Viewpoint Village on Soi Chaiyaphruek 1 in Pattaya.
The first raid targeted a two-story luxury residence where six Chinese males were discovered on the ground floor alongside several laptops. The second home nearby revealed seven individuals – four Chinese (three males and one female) and three Koreans. Additional computers and laptops found here were seized for further investigation. Both properties boasted amenities like indoor swimming pools, highlighting the scale of the operation.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Thawatchakiat Jindakhuansong stated to The Pattaya News that this operation aligns with the National Police Chief’s policy to dismantle international fraud networks. The raids resulted in the apprehension of 13 foreign suspects – 10 Chinese and 3 Korean – and the seizure of 30 computers and 30 mobile phones used in the deceitful activities.
The gang’s modus operandi involved deceiving victims into purchasing non-existent products and then convincing them to transfer money. Initial investigations reveal that the victims primarily hail from China and South Korea, though Thai nationals might also have been targeted, which is currently under investigation. The police are looking into the financial flows of the gang and are examining whether the property owners were complicit in these illegal activities.
Legal actions are expected to follow once all aspects of the case, including potential local involvement, are thoroughly investigated.
