SA KAEO – Officials from the Technology Crime Suppression Division launched Operation “Lockdown the Cat” to arrest a gang smuggling call center employees across natural borders in Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo Province.
The suspects included: Mr. Zheng Yue Chang, 31, a Chinese national, Pol. Lt. Angkha Sukrangsitsaree, 70, a former police officer, Mr. Dalek, 35, and Mr. Sun, 31, both Cambodian nationals.
Mr. Zheng was arrested on Highway 33 in Mueang Sa Kaeo district, while the other suspects were caught at Rong Kluea market in Khlong Luk sub-district, Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province on April 29. All were charged with jointly bringing or transporting foreigners into the Kingdom illegally or in any way assisting, encouraging, or facilitating the entry of foreigners into the Kingdom illegally.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirabhop Bhuridej, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), said the operation stemmed from an investigation by the Anti Online Scam Operation Center (AOC) under the CIB into the opening of bank accounts for use by call center gangs. The AOC discovered that brokers had been contacting locals in Sa Kaeo province to open online bank accounts and travel across the Thai-Cambodian border to scan faces and receive funds.
Those hired to open these mule accounts often traveled out of Thailand by natural routes via the fruit market in Rong Kluea Market, Khlong Luk sub-district, Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province. In the last six months, an average of 60-70 people per day traveled out this way. A Cambodian financier named “Da Yai” collected 3,000 baht per person per trip. Upon investigation, it was found that this route was the same one used by Chinese nationals in the call center gang to flee into the country.
“I ordered surveillance, and when we found that the Chinese suspect entered illegally through the route, I coordinated with the highway police to intercept Mr. Zheng as he drove to Bangkok. All suspects were taken to Sa Kaeo police station where they will be brought to court,” said Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirabhop.
A check with the Chinese police revealed that Mr. Zheng was wanted by Interpol (Red Notice) and the Chinese government wanted to extradite him to face charges for online crimes involving over 100 victims and over 40 million yuan (200 million baht) in damages. He was responsible for the call center gang’s financial planning, organizational management and money laundering.
After the press conference on Monday, Pol. Lt. Gen. Jirabhop together with Pongsit Chaichatpornsuk, president of the Legal Compliance & Financial Crime Department, and representatives of commercial banks returned 1.8 million baht in cash to an aggrieved grandmother after the money was successfully frozen.
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