Thai immigration police have arrested 15 people accused of operating a call-centre scam from a luxury mansion in Bangkok that was reportedly rented for 900,000 baht a month.
The raid took place late on Sept 16 at a mansion in Soi Ekkachai 112 in Bang Bon district after a member of the public alerted authorities to the large number of foreigners entering and leaving the property.
Police obtained a court warrant before searching the house and said they discovered a call-centre operation targeting victims in Japan.
Investigators said the property, valued at more than 200 million baht, had allegedly been rented for more than a year by a Chinese man through a Thai nominee.
Of the 15 people arrested, only one was Thai. The others were nationals of Japan, China, Taiwan and Myanmar. Police said all were working as callers for the suspected operation.
According to investigators, the group allegedly contacted Japanese victims at random and claimed that parcels containing illegal goods had been found in their names.
Those who believed the initial call were then transferred to another person who allegedly posed as a Japanese police officer. The fake officer would claim that suspicious financial transactions had been linked to the victim and pressure them to transfer money for supposed verification.
Police found the second floor of the mansion had been divided into different rooms for the various stages of the operation. One room contained desks and Japanese-language scripts for the initial calls.
Another area reportedly contained Japanese police-style uniforms, badges and fake identification cards that callers allegedly used during video calls to make their claims appear genuine.
Officers also seized computers, mobile phones and other equipment believed to have been used by the group. Poker equipment and a quantity of crystal methamphetamine were also reportedly found at the property.
Police have not disclosed how many victims may have been defrauded or the total amount of money allegedly obtained by the network.
The 15 suspects are being investigated on charges including working without permission and involvement in transnational fraud. Police are also continuing to search for other people believed to be connected to the operation.
The case highlights the continued use of properties in Thailand as bases for scam networks targeting victims overseas. Authorities have stepped up efforts to dismantle such operations and trace the people financing and organising them.
Police have warned the public to be cautious of unsolicited calls claiming to involve illegal parcels, suspicious bank transactions or demands to transfer money for verification. Genuine government agencies and police forces do not normally ask people to transfer funds in this manner.
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