Burapha Task Force troops arrest 3 Chinese men, seize 8,628 SIM cards

Burapha Task Force troops have arrested three Chinese men suspected of entering Thailand illegally and attempting to cross into Cambodia, seizing nearly 10,000 SIM cards.

The arrest was made on January 5, after the Aranyaprathet Task Force (Ranger Company 1204) was assigned to patrol and maintain surveillance to prevent and intercept illegal activity in the border area. 

Troops spotted and detained the suspects at a natural crossing through a sugarcane field near Ban Non Khi Lek (Moo 6), Phan Suek subdistrict, Aranyaprathet district, Sa Kaeo province.

Questioned through an interpreter from Sa Kaeo Immigration, the three men said they had travelled from Myanmar and entered Thailand via a natural route in Mae Sot district, Tak province. They claimed they were headed to work at a casino in Cambodia.

A search found 8,628 T-Mobile (US) SIM cards. No passports or travel documents were found. The suspects told officers they did not pay for the trip, and no escort or broker was found at the time of arrest.

The three men were taken to Ranger Company 1204 for preliminary questioning before being handed over, along with the seized items, to investigators at Khlong Nam Sai Police Station for legal proceedings.