PATTAYA, Thailand
On April 20th, 2026, at approximately 3:40 PM, immigration and tourist police officers raided a luxury two-story pool villa in a village off Soi Chaiyapruk 2 in Village 12.
Led by Pol. Col. Naphatphong Khosit Suriyamanee, Superintendent of Chonburi Immigration, and Pol. Lt. Col. Prapda Suksunthorn, along with investigation teams from Chonburi Immigration and Pattaya Tourist Police, officers surrounded the property after receiving reports from concerned citizens of regularly over 30 Indian nationals gathering there and conducting suspected illegal activities.
The villa, spanning about 70 square wah (approximately 280 square meters) with high walls over 2.5 meters, had its front glass doors and windows tightly covered with curtains to block visibility. Inside, authorities found around 20 Indian men actively working at laptop computers, with more than 40 mobile phones lined up nearby. Officers identified themselves and conducted a search.
Preliminary examination of the computers revealed that the group was sending messages to other Indians, inviting them to invest in various businesses and trade stocks, including gold and digital currencies (Bitcoin). The operation reportedly involved pumping stocks on a weekly and monthly basis.
Police seized evidence including 18 laptop computers, 30 mobile phones, and A4 papers detailing professional corporate style salary structures for different departments: call center, marketing, finance, and general affairs. Marketing staff were reportedly paid up to 100,000 Indian Rupees per month (approximately 34,000 Thai Baht). Investigators are still examining the circulating investment funds and have not yet determined the exact amount.
All 20 Indian men, who were working in front of the computers and handling calls, were detained and taken for further questioning at the Chonburi Immigration Office (Jomtien 5). They claimed they had entered Thailand as tourists before the Songkran festival in March 2026 but admitted to taking jobs without a work permit instead, assisting with stock trading on various websites, earning commissions from clients, most of whom were from India.
Authorities initially charged the 20 men with working in the Kingdom without permission. Additionally, another 10 Indian nationals (men and women) found inside the property were found to have violated regulations by not reporting their place of residence. They were handed over to Pattaya City Police Station for further legal proceedings.
