Wednesday, February 12, 2025
HomeNewsThailandOver 14k arrests in Thailand on an anti-scam crackdown operation

Over 14k arrests in Thailand on an anti-scam crackdown operation

In a crackdown on online fraud over seven months, Thailand’s Royal Police have arrested over 14,000 individuals involved in call center scams, investment fraud and illegal gambling.

The operation has also led to the freezing of THB4.5 billion ($122.2 million) in assets, and discussions are underway with the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) on how these can be distributed among victims.

Royal Thai Police deputy spokesman Police Major-General Siriwat Depor told the press during a recent media briefing that, following directives from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and acting National Police chief Police General Kittirat Panpet, authorities have been investigating and combating technological crimes. In the period from October 1st, 2023, to April 30th, 2024, authorities arrested 14,826 individuals involved in call center scams, investment fraud rings, and illegal online gambling operations.

In collaboration with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), the police also investigated the illegal installation of signal transmission equipment along the border. These devices were used by criminals to facilitate ongoing illegal activities. The operation successfully led to the confiscation of the equipment.

Thai authorities also worked on dismantling the financial networks tied to these operations by investigating payment flows, increasing financial tracking, and the freezing of mule accounts.

Frank Schuengel
Frank Schuengel
Frank Schuengel is an online gambling industry veteran with over twenty years of experience in Europe and Asia. Equally at home in the Isle of Man and the Philippines, he started his career as a sports trader before setting up and running whole operations, and more recently focusing on the regulatory and licensing side of things in the worlds of fiat and crypto eGaming. When he is not writing about gambling topics, he can be found cycling around Manila and advocating sustainable transport solutions for a Philippines based mobility magazine.

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