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Wuhan Dragon Gang Arrested in Pattaya for $100M Fraud Using Retirement Visas

Wuhan Dragon Gang Arrested in Pattaya for $100M Fraud Using Retirement Visas

MGR Online•Society•21h ago

Reader Briefing

Thai authorities apprehended four Chinese nationals, members of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang,' in Pattaya for a hundred-million-baht fraud scheme involving fake documents and retirement visas.

  • •Four Chinese nationals, allegedly members of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang,' were arrested in Pattaya and Suvarnabhumi Airport.
  • •The group is accused of defrauding over 18 million yuan (nearly 100 million baht) through document forgery in a demolition and landscaping project.
  • •They used fraudulent retirement visas to enter and hide in Thailand after fleeing charges in China.

Overview

  • •On May 29, CIB and Immigration Bureau officers jointly arrested four Chinese nationals in Pattaya and at Suvarnabhumi Airport.
  • •The arrested individuals, identified as Chen Jingang, Yuan Xinqi, Xu Fei, and Luo Wenlan, are alleged members of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang'.
  • •The arrest stems from an international criminal investigation coordinated by the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Anti-Crime Centre (LMLECC).
  • •The group is accused of defrauding the Wuhan New Urban Land Development Company by forging documents to claim compensation for demolition and land expropriation.
  • •The estimated damage from the fraud exceeds 18 million Chinese yuan, equivalent to nearly 100 million Thai baht.
  • •The suspects used 'long-term visas for the elderly (50 years and above)' or 'retirement visas' as a means to conceal their identities and enter Thailand.
  • •Following their arrest, the individuals were informed of the revocation of their stay permits under the Immigration Act B.E. 1979.
  • •All four suspects are being held at the Immigration Investigation Division's detention center in preparation for extradition to the People's Republic of China for prosecution.

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Key Entities

Organization

Wuhan Dragon Gang(แก๊งมังกรอู่ฮั่น)
A criminal group, whose members were arrested by Thai authorities for large-scale fraud.
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB)(CIB)
An investigative bureau of the Royal Thai Police that participated in the arrest of the Chinese fraud suspects.
Immigration Bureau(สตม.)
The Thai immigration agency involved in tracking and arresting foreign nationals, including the Chinese fugitives.
Anti-Transnational Crime Centre(ศูนย์ปราบปรามอาชญากรรมข้ามชาติ)
An agency that coordinated with the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Anti-Crime Centre (LMLECC) regarding the Chinese fraud suspects.
Mekong-Lancang Cooperation Anti-Crime Centre (LMLECC)(ศูนย์ความร่วมมือล้านช้าง-แม่โขง (LMLECC))
The international body that alerted Thai authorities to track down the Chinese fraud suspects.
Illegal Immigration and Transnational Criminal Suppression Centre(ศูนย์ปราบปรามคนร้ายข้ามชาติและเข้าเมืองโดยผิดกฎหมาย)
A Thai centre that received the alert from LMLECC to apprehend the Chinese suspects.
Central Investigation Bureau (CIB)(กองบัญชาการตำรวจสอบสวนกลาง (ศปชก.บช.ก.))
The Thai police bureau coordinating the suppression of illegal immigration and transnational crime, which was alerted to the case.
Wuhan Public Security Bureau(สำนักงานความมั่นคงสาธารณะเมืองอู่ฮั่น)
The Chinese law enforcement agency that issued arrest warrants for the suspects in the fraud case.
Wuhan New Urban Land Development Company(บริษัทจัดการที่ดินเมืองใหม่แห่งอู่ฮั่น)
The company that was allegedly defrauded by the suspects in a demolition and landscaping project.
Special Operations Division(กองบังคับการปฏิบัติการพิเศษ)
A division of the Royal Thai Police that collaborated with the Immigration Bureau to track down the suspects.
Investigation Bureau, Immigration Bureau(กองบังคับการสืบสวนสอบสวน สำนักงานตรวจคนเข้าเมือง)
The investigative arm of the Immigration Bureau that led the tracking and arrest of the Chinese fugitives.

Place

Pattaya(พัทยา)ℹ️
The location where some of the alleged 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' members were apprehended.
Suvarnabhumi Airport(ท่าอากาศยานสุวรรณภูมิ)ℹ️
The international airport where one of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' members was apprehended while attempting to depart.
People's Republic of China(สาธารณรัฐประชาชนจีน)ℹ️
The country to which the arrested suspects are to be extradited to face fraud charges.

Person

Pol. Lt. Gen. Nattasak Chananakornchalai(พล.ต.ท.ณัฐศักดิ์ เชาวนาศัย)
Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), who ordered the operation leading to the arrests.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Teerachat Teerachatcharut(พล.ต.ต.ธีรชาติ ธีรชาติธำรง)
Commander of the Patrol Special Operations Division (B.P.P.), who supervised the arrest operation.
Pol. Col. Boonlue Phadungthin(พ.ต.อ.บุญลือ ผดุงถิ่น)
Deputy Commander of the Patrol Special Operations Division (B.P.P.) involved in the operation.
Pol. Col. Nopparat Khammak(พ.ต.อ.นพรัตน์ คำมาก)
Chief Inspector of the Patrol Unit, Border Patrol Police Division (B.P.P.) involved in the arrest.
Pol. Lt. Col. Pongpiti Trinikom(พ.ต.ต.พงศ์ปิติ ตรีนิคม)
Inspector of the Patrol Unit, Border Patrol Police Division (B.P.P.) involved in the operation.
Pol. Capt. Kittitach Thiankaew(ร.ต.อ.กิตติธัช เทียนแก้ว)
Deputy Inspector of the Patrol Unit, Border Patrol Police Division (B.P.P.) involved in the arrest.
Pol. Lt. Col. Phaskorn Gladingiew(พ.ต.ต.พัสกร กลัดงิ้ว)
Inspector of the 4th Division, Investigation Bureau, Immigration Bureau, involved in the operation.
Mr. Chen Jingang(นายเฉิน จินกัง)
A 55-year-old Chinese national arrested as a member of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' for fraud and illegal entry using a retirement visa.
Mr. Yuan Xinqi(นายหยวน ซินฉี)
A 54-year-old Chinese national arrested as a member of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' for fraud and illegal entry using a retirement visa.
Mr. Xu Fei(นายสวี เฟย)
A 51-year-old Chinese national arrested as a member of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' for fraud and illegal entry using a retirement visa.
Ms. Luo Wenlan(นางหลัว เวินหลาน)
A 54-year-old Chinese national arrested as a member of the 'Wuhan Dragon Gang' for fraud and illegal entry using a retirement visa.

Law

Immigration Act B.E. 1979(พ.ร.บ.คนเข้าเมือง พ.ศ.1979)
The Thai law under which the four Chinese nationals were deemed inadmissible and their stay permits revoked.
Retirement Visa(วีซ่าเกษียณ)
The type of visa allegedly used by the Chinese suspects to enter Thailand and conceal their fraudulent activities.