Police in Chiang Mai apprehend eighteen Chinese individuals linked to call center fraud operations
In a significant development, Thai authorities have dismantled a call center fraud operation based in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand. The operation, which targeted Chinese victims through online platforms and applications, appears to be linked primarily to Chinese-led international cybercrime syndicates.
The gang operated from a luxury mansion in Moo 2, tambon Huai Sai, Mae Rim district, Chiang Mai. During the raid, conducted by cybercrime officers and tourist police under a search warrant from Chiang Mai Provincial Court, over 100 mobile phones and Chinese SIM cards, more than 20 computers, and several suspects were found on the premises.
The call center workers, who were Chinese nationals, were reportedly working around the clock, using computers, mobile phones, and Chinese SIM cards to contact victims. The syndicates targeted victims via hybrid scams involving cryptocurrency investments and impersonation of government officials to pressure victims into transferring large sums of money.
The scams involved complex operations with mule accounts used to launder approximately 308 million baht (around $9 million USD), with evidence linking the Chiang Mai operations to a Chinese-run call center gang based in the Phuri Casino area of Poipet, Cambodia.
Roles within the syndicates included support for fake official documents and maintaining mule accounts for financial transfers. The arrested gang members had reportedly been in Thailand for around three months, organised by Chinese leaders who managed accommodation and logistics.
Eight suspects sustained injuries, including one with a broken leg, and others suffered minor cuts and bruises from falls as they attempted to flee during the raid, with several jumping from the second floor at a height of over eight meters.
Authorities are expanding investigations to identify the real employers and examine networks potentially linked to the case. The involvement of cross-border operations between Thailand and Cambodia suggests coordination across regional criminal networks with Chinese leadership at the core. However, direct links to larger international cybercrime syndicates beyond these Chinese-led groups have not been explicitly confirmed in the available reports.
The Chinese leader of the gang is yet to be identified, and authorities continue to investigate to uncover any broader international cybercrime networks connected to these scams. It is believed that the suspects received monthly salaries of 10,000-20,000 yuan (50,000-100,000 baht).
This operation marks a significant step in the ongoing battle against cybercrime, highlighting the need for increased cooperation between law enforcement agencies across borders to combat transnational criminal activities.
The dismantled call center fraud operation in Chiang Mai, Thailand, operates within a}> general-news <(global news) context, and it is linked to Chinese-led international cybercrime syndicates, demonstrating the major role of technology in facilitating > cybersecurity <(cybersecurity issues) crimes.
The Chiang Mai operation, involved in hybrid scams and cryptocurrency investments, appears to be connected to a Chinese-run call center gang in Cambodia, signifying the complex nature of > crime-and-justice <(criminal activities) networks that extend beyond national borders.
