Thai police launched an operation in Bangkok against a call center scam gang, successfully arresting a 19-year-old Chinese teenager, Minghong Tan, suspected of participating in a complex scam operation.
This operation exposed a massive scam network, with a 19-year-old Chinese teenager operating in Bangkok for years, managing 10 rooms for the criminal gang's use. Now arrested for running a telecom fraud call center, the scale of the case is astonishing, revealing how transnational criminal gangs use high-tech equipment and local resources to commit crimes.
Two Raid Operations
In a joint operation by the capital police and immigration police in Thailand, the police, with a search warrant issued by the criminal court, raided the Phana Place building in the Huama area of Bangkapi district, where they seized a large amount of equipment related to scam activities, including: 8 new SIM card boxes, 2 internet routers, 1 switch hub, 1 CCTV camera, 1 backup power supply, 8 LAN cables, and other communication devices and evidence.
Meanwhile, the police also searched an apartment in Ratchada, Din Daeng district, Bangkok. Here, more evidence was found confirming Tan's close involvement with the call center scam activities.
Tan not only rented these two rooms, one specifically for storing SIM card boxes and technical equipment, the other used as an operation center. Additionally, during the search, the police found rental contracts for 10 rooms, indicating that the scale of this scam network was much larger than initially estimated.
Suspect's Background and Methods
Tan entered Thailand on a student visa, which was used to cover up his illegal activities. The police pointed out that he might be a key technical person in the scam gang, responsible for managing and maintaining communication equipment. These devices were used to support transnational call center scam activities, mainly targeting victims in Thailand and other countries by impersonating government officials or company employees.
Although Tan denied direct involvement in the scams during police interrogation, claiming he only provided intermediary services for other Chinese citizens, the police have charged him with several offenses, including:
Illegal possession or carrying of communication devices into Thailand, unauthorized establishment of a communication station, illegal use of radio frequencies.
Investigation Origin and Victim's Experience
This operation stemmed from a report by a scam victim in Ayutthaya province. The victim claimed that someone impersonating a police officer from Buriram province scammed him out of 10,600 Thai Baht (approximately 2100 RMB) over the phone.
The police's further investigation traced back to the scam gang's activity point in the Huama area, prompting the aforementioned raid operations.
Major Breakthrough in the Case
Major General Theeradej Thamsuthee of the Bangkok Metropolitan Police stated at a press conference that this operation was an important step for Thai police in combating call center scams. "We not only arrested a suspect but also seized key technical equipment that supports the operation of the scam network. This evidence will help us further track other members of the gang, as well as their activities in Thailand and other countries."
Furthermore, the police revealed that the 10 rooms rented by the scam gang might be located in other areas of Bangkok, possibly used to store more equipment or serve as scam hubs. The police will conduct an in-depth investigation to dismantle the entire criminal network.
Striking Against and Preventing Scam Gangs
In recent years, Thailand has continuously strengthened its efforts to combat call center scams, a crime that not only harms the economic interests of victims but also severely affects Thailand's social order and international image. The police remind the public to be vigilant when receiving calls from self-proclaimed government officials or strangers, and not to trust any form of transfer or payment requests.
In the future, Thai police will continue to strengthen cooperation with Interpol and other countries to harshly combat transnational scam crimes, ensuring the safety and stability of society.
The successful resolution of this case highlights the determination and capability of Thai police in combating technology-based crimes, and also serves as a warning to society: high-tech means are becoming a major tool for criminals, and everyone should remain vigilant and collectively resist such criminal activities.
