The Thai police launched the biggest operation yet against call center gangs, dubbed “Operation Bridge of Thieves,” resulting in the arrest of two suspects, confiscation of simboxes, and nearly 20,000 active SIM cards aimed at dismantling the scam network.
The operation took place on October 9, led by high-ranking police officials, including Police Lt. Gen. Thatchai Pitaneelabut and others. The suspects arrested were 68-year-old Teerapat Utraphirumsuk, the homeowner, and 33-year-old Lin Chongqian, a Chinese network operator. Authorities seized multiple simboxes and thousands of activated SIM cards.
Four locations were searched during the operation. The first site revealed 28 active simboxes and 10,000 Thai SIM cards. At the second site, 20 simboxes and about 2,000 active SIM cards were found. The third site contained five simboxes, around 370 phones, and 6,000 active SIM cards, while the fourth site had 39 simboxes, 103 phones, 20 active SIM cards, related documents, and some Chinese yuan.
Police Lt. Gen. Thatchai noted that this operation was the largest crackdown in Thailand, eliminating a significant call center scam capable of making calls to approximately 3,000 numbers at once. He highlighted that scammers, residing in neighboring countries, disguise their calls as local Thai numbers, making it easier to deceive victims.
The police plan to collaborate with the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to enhance mobile phone registration measures, especially concerning those registering more than five SIM cards. Ongoing investigations will seek to identify additional suspects involved in the operation.
In the investigation, Teerapat admitted to being the homeowner and claimed to have worked with SIM cards before, managing simboxes for around five years and earning nearly 60,000 baht monthly from this scheme. Lin revealed that he was responsible for system management and had overstayed his visa by 37 days.
The suspects will face multiple charges related to telecommunications regulations, operating without licenses, and involvement in organized crime, as authorities continue to pursue individuals implicated in the fraud.
This article was rewritten from a Thairath’s news article.