Thai police arrest Myanmar, Chinese nationals in online scam sting

Eight Myanmar nationals were among 15 people arrested in northern Thailand’s Chiang Mai Province earlier this week for their alleged involvement in online scam operations. At a press conference held on Wednesday, Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) said it carried out a series of raids on 11 properties in the province as part of an anti-scam crackdown operation dubbed “CIB Crushes Grey Dragon.” The operation targeted a group suspected of selling fake social media accounts to criminal gangs engaged in online fraud activities. The group’s leader, a Chinese national, is still at large, according to Thai media reports. The CIB identified two of the detained suspects, including the leader’s wife, 30-year-old Jiraphan Prakobkit, as Thai nationals, and the others as citizens of China and Myanmar. A total of 592,235 pieces of equipment, including 72 computers, 1,455 mobile phones, 642 SIM boxes, 47 SIM card readers, and 590,000 SIM cards, were confiscated in the raids, the CIB said at the press conference, where some of the seized items were displayed. “This operation significantly disrupts call-centre scams that cause billions of baht in damages annually,” said Police Lt-Gen Jiraphop Phuridet, adding that efforts were intensifying to apprehend others still wanted in connection with the ongoing investigation. Another Myanmar national was also arrested on Wednesday as part of a separate sting operation targeting a Taiwanese online gambling ring based in Thailand. According to Thai media outlet Khaosod, police arrested 19 people during raids on three luxury condominiums in Chiang Mai, including two Taiwanese nationals and an 18-year-old woman from Myanmar identified only as “Ms. Thida.” The gambling operations reportedly generated a monthly cash flow of more than 10 million baht (US$290,000). Employees were paid between 15,000 and 30,000 baht ($438-875) per month, the outlet reported.

Thai police arrest Myanmar, Chinese nationals in online scam sting

Two Thais were also among 15 suspects accused of generating fake social media accounts for use in online fraud activities

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