Cops sweep up 20 suspects over scam calls to United States

Police have launched crackdown operations in four provinces and arrested five Indians and 15 Thais who allegedly operated a call centre scam to dupe elderly people in the United States out of more than 3 billion baht.

Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukwimol said at the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) yesterday the crackdown had targeted nine spots with the aim of capturing 36 suspects in Chon Buri, Rayong, Roi Et and Surat Thani.

Five Indian nationals — Tewanchu Nandakichow Jochi, 42; Avtar Singh, 36; Yogesh Kumar, 34; Karunankumar Kotcheckpai Topiwala, 40; and Ketan Triphuwandet Panjan, 53 — were arrested, in addition to 15 Thais.

The Thais were Darannaphat Hinchan, 33; Preeyaporn Hinchan, 27; Areeyaporn Sridongklang, 41; Sakanin Saenpradit, 38; Tassanee Phokinnaowaphan, 50; Sukanya Phankong, 24; Nattawut Jaitongkla, 25; Yada Rojanasalee, 19; Nantawat Mumapai, 23; Chit Phochan, 61; Arthitya Boonla, 36; Khwanjira Sirithammajak, 32; Mayuree Napaengsorn, 20, Yuan Yoonui, 64; and Arunrat Kerdmolee, 23.

Police seized 162 passbooks, 61 mobile phones, two cars, one firearm and other assets including land title deeds.

Initially, police pressed charges against them of colluding in a transnational crime organisation, identity fraud, disseminating false information on a computer system and money laundering. Police are tracking down 16 others.

The raid came after the Royal Thai Police obtained information from the US Secret Service, Federal Bureau of Investigation and US Department of Justice about Indian and Thai nationals jointly setting up a call centre scam to swindle money from senior citizens in the US last year.

About 72,000 related cases were recorded during 2020-2021, with damages in excess of 3 billion baht. In response, Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, deputy commissioner of the CCIB, cooperated with his US counterpart on 365 cases.

The network was found to have used Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, United Arab Emirates, Peru and Poland as places to store the money made from deceiving victims — mostly elderly people, doctors, university lecturers, dentists, soldiers as well as business owners.