A Singaporean man has been arrested in Thailand for being a suspected member of a scam network based in Myanmar.
He was nabbed together with 23 other foreigners at a luxury villa and hotel in Bangkok, Thai Police TV said in a Facebook post on Friday (31 Oct).
Source: POLICETV สถานีโทรทัศน์สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ on Facebook
The Thai police’s Anti-Cyber Scam Centre learnt that a group of scammers from a transnational criminal organisation had fled to Thailand from neighbouring countries, Police TV said.
Thus, on Wednesday (29 Oct), the police raided a luxury villa in Samut Prakan province, which is south of Bangkok.
They found 22 foreigners there — one Singaporean and the rest, Filipinos.
Source: POLICETV สถานีโทรทัศน์สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ on Facebook
All the suspects admitted to working as scammers in Myawaddy, a town in Myanmar.
They had fled to Thailand after unrest in the area, with their manager paying about 200,000 baht (S$8,050) to rent the villa for them to stay from 27 Oct to 31 Oct.
17 of the Filipinos had overstayed their visas, it was found.
The Singaporean and three more Filipinos had no immigration offences, but their visas could be revoked due to their alleged involvement in the scam network.
Source: POLICETV สถานีโทรทัศน์สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ on Facebook
The foreigners told the police that there were about seven “higher-level” scammers at a hotel in Bangkok.
That hotel was the FuramaXclusive Pratunam Park Hotel, reported Khaosod English.
Police raided the hotel and arrested a 37-year-old Malaysian man and a 33-year-old Chinese woman.
Five other suspects — Malaysian men aged 29 to 55 — escaped.
Based on police investigations, the scam network is led by a Chinese man known only as “Mr Lin”.
He runs three alleged scam companies named DBL1, DBL2, and DRS in Myawaddy.
These firms are believed to be carrying out investment scams targeting victims with Singapore phone numbers.
The Thai authorities are reportedly collaborating with Singaporean officials in their investigations.
Also read: S’porean arrested in Taiwan for working as ‘runner’ for scam syndicate
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Featured image adapted from POLICETV สถานีโทรทัศน์สำนักงานตำรวจแห่งชาติ on Facebook.