Crime
Tourist Police Arrest 20 Members of Taiwanese Phone Scam Gang
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BANGKOK – Deputy Chief of the Tourist Police Bureau Pol Maj Gen Surachet Hakpan, today held a press conference on the arrest of the gang of 20 members following complaints that a number of victims were duped into transferring money to those claiming to be state authorities.
Pol Maj Gen Surachet said police had been tracking fraud gangs and had captured the one led by a Taiwanese named Chen Yuan Kai. Mr. Chen’s gang members were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of females who posed as government officials. The latter was comprised of males who pretended to be police.
The Taiwanese scammer had been arrested before but escaped from the country after being released on bail. He then formed a scammer ring. His Thai wife undertakes the procurement of conmen with Mr. Paisan On-em as an assistant. Five gang members have fled overseas. All the gang members have been charged with fraud and involvement in a transnational crime organization.
Police have also held a media conference on countrywide sweeps against crime, with news of the arrests of 30 suspects found in possession of firearms and drugs.
By Vipaporn Pooritanasarn