Vietnamese Call Center and Drug Network Bust

Matichon•General•20d ago

Reader Briefing

Thai police arrested four Vietnamese nationals involved in a transnational criminal network that converted call center scam proceeds into gold and mobile phones.

•Four Vietnamese nationals were arrested for their roles in a transnational crime organization.
•The network converted cash from online scams into gold bars and mobile phones to move funds abroad.
•The investigation originated from a drug case involving ice hidden in tamarind packages sent to Japan.
•One suspect was arrested at Khok Kram Police Station after attempting to bribe officers with 150,000 Baht.

Overview

•Police tracked financial trails from a drug case involving ice hidden in tamarind parcels sent to Japan and an online scam targeting students.
•On August 5, police arrested three Vietnamese nationals, Hian, Ngan, and Nguyen, at a hotel in the Nawamin area, Bueng Kum District, Bangkok.
•Hian admitted to being hired by a Vietnamese woman named HOA via Telegram to purchase gold and mobile phones for 15 USD per day.
•On July 31, Hian received orders to purchase 17 baht of gold bars using funds prepaid by the employer.
•A victim reported losing 200,000 Baht to a call center gang posing as phone company employees and Ranong Police Station officers.
•Le Thi, a 39-year-old Vietnamese national, was arrested at Khok Kram Police Station for offering a 150,000 Baht bribe to secure the release of suspects.
•All four Vietnamese suspects are currently detained by Khok Kram Police Station for legal proceedings.
•Investigators are gathering evidence to track down coordinators and organizers both in Thailand and abroad.

Full article content is available on the original source.

Read on Matichon (Thai Version)View in Google Translate

Source: Matichon (Original)

Key Entities

Person

Theeradej Thammasuthee(ธีรเดช ธรรมสุธีร์)

Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau responsible for narcotics.

Chaiya Phetpanya(ชัยยะ เพ็ชรปัญญา)

Commander of Metropolitan Police Division 7.

Worapot Rungkrajang(วรพจน์ รุ่งกระจ่าง)

Deputy Commander of the Investigation Division, Metropolitan Police Bureau.

Asadawut Kwanmuang(อัษฎาวุธ ขวัญเมือง)

Superintendent of the Investigation Division, Metropolitan Police Division 7.

Kitrat Phanphet(กิตติ์รัฐ พันธุ์เพ็ชร์)

Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police.

Thana Chuwong(ธนา ชูวงศ์)

Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police (Investigation).

Samran Nuanma(สำราญ นวลมา)

Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police and Director of the Police Anti-Narcotics Center.

Jirabhop Phuridej(จิรภพ ภูริเดช)

Assistant Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police and head of the Online Anti-Fraud Center.

Kritsada Kanchanalongkorn(กฤษฎา กาญจนอลงกรณ์)

Assistant Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police.

Siam Boonsom(สยาม บุญสม)

Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau.

Sompong(สมพงษ์)

An individual whose account was linked to a drug case involving ice sent to Japan.

Hian(เฮียน)

A 29-year-old Vietnamese national arrested for acting as a member of a transnational criminal organization.

Ngan(งัน)ℹ️

A 40-year-old Vietnamese national arrested for acting as a member of a transnational criminal organization.

Nguyen(เหงียน)ℹ️

A 33-year-old Vietnamese national arrested for acting as a member of a transnational criminal organization.

HOA

A Vietnamese woman who ordered Hian to purchase gold and mobile phones via Telegram.

Le Thi(เล ทิ)

A 39-year-old Vietnamese national arrested for attempting to bribe police officers.

Organization

Khok Kram Police Station(สน.โคกคราม)

The police station where the suspects were detained and where the bribery attempt occurred.

Lumphini Police Station(สน.ลุมพินี)

The police station where a victim of the call center scam filed a report.

Bang Yi Khan Police Station(สน.บางยี่ขัน)

The police station where charges of transnational organized crime related to ice shipments were filed.

Muang Ranong Police Station(สภ.เมืองระนอง)

The station that call center scammers impersonated to deceive a victim.

Metropolitan Police Bureau(บช.น.)ℹ️

The police bureau overseeing the operations and arrests in Bangkok.

Place

Bangkok(กทม.)ℹ️

The city where the suspects were arrested and operated.

Japan(ญี่ปุ่น)ℹ️

The destination country for parcels containing hidden ice.

Vietnam(เวียดนาม)ℹ️

The country where the beneficiaries of the criminal network are located.