A 25-year-old Chinese man has been arrested in Bangkok for allegedly intending to supply Starlink satellite internet transmitters to call center scam gangs. Police from the Economic Crime Suppression Division also seized 10 Starlink satellite internet transmitters.
The 25 -25-year-old man, identified only as Mr. Cao, denied accusations of his involvement with call center gangs, claiming he had only recently arrived in Thailand.
His arrest comes as police have intensified their efforts to take down call center gangs that have extorted hundreds of millions from vulnerable Thai citizens. Call center gangs smuggled Starlink satellite internet receivers and transmitters, SIM cards, and various electronic devices to defraud people.
Economic Crime Suppression Police have seized 86 Starlink devices and tens of thousands of SIM cards this year.
Mr. Cao told police that his Chinese national brother-in-law operated an international parcel delivery service in Phuket. He said his brother-in-law asked him to receive various parcels and arrange their deliveries.
He claimed no knowledge of the contents of the boxes.
The police, however, did not believe his story and charged him with importing and selling restricted goods into Thailand without following through customs procedures. He was also charged with working in Thailand without a work permit. After legal proceedings, he will be blacklisted from Thailand.
Police Bust Chinese Livestreamer
Meanwhile, Consumer protection police have arrested another Chinese national for selling counterfeit bedding products from a warehouse in Saraburi Province. When the police arrested the Chinese man, he was live streaming the sale of counterfeit LOTUS and Dunlopillo-branded duvets and bed sheets.
Police seized 67 sacks containing bogus LOTUS and Dunlopillo branded duvet sets with bed sheets, pillowcases, and bolster pillows packed in cardboard boxes, with an estimated value of 40 million baht (US$1.24 million).
The Chinese man, Mr. Nong (last name withheld), faces multiple charges, including counterfeiting trademarks, copyright infringement, and selling goods in Thailand without a work permit.
His arrest comes after a representative from Lotus filed a complaint with Consumer Protection police that they had seen a TikTok page called “wants shop” livestreaming their company’s bedding products and using their logo.
Consumer Protection police then traced the IP address posted to the TikTok page “wants shop,” allowing them to apply for an arrest warrant for Mr. Nong.
