South Korean scam suspect arrested in Pattaya over Interpol warrant
Thai immigration police arrested a South Korean suspect wanted by Interpol after a Pattaya raid uncovered evidence of online gambling operations.
- A 45-year-old South Korean national was arrested in Pattaya, Thailand, based on an Interpol warrant.
- The suspect is accused of leading a call-center scam and online gambling network that targeted numerous victims in South Korea.
- Following a tip from international law enforcement, police tracked the man to a massage shop where he was apprehended.
- A search of his residence uncovered computers managing gambling websites, with an estimated annual turnover of over 124 million baht per site.
Immigration police have arrested a South Korean national accused of leading a scam and online gambling network after he allegedly fled an Interpol notice and hid in Thailand.
Immigration Bureau Division 3 officers detained Kim, 45, in Pattaya, Chonburi, after receiving intelligence from international law enforcement agencies about a South Korean fugitive believed to be involved in transnational crime.
Authorities identified him as a suspect wanted under an Interpol notice in cases linked to call-centre scam operations and online gambling websites offering games such as baccarat and slots. Police reported that the alleged network had many victims in South Korea.
After receiving the information, investigators tracked Kim’s movements and found that he regularly visited a health massage shop in Nong Prue subdistrict, Bang Lamung district, Chonburi. Officers began a stakeout at the shop on July 2.
On the afternoon of July 3, police spotted a man matching Kim’s description entering the Thai massage shop. Officers identified themselves, presented the arrest warrant and informed him that his temporary permission to stay in Thailand had been revoked.
Police later escorted him to a nearby residence for a search, where several computers were found. An initial examination allegedly uncovered back-office management systems for online gambling websites, including user and agent account information.
Officers also found records showing total bets, the difference between betting volumes and winnings, and rolling turnover generated by gambling activity. Investigators believe Kim had annual turnover of more than 124 million baht from each gambling website under his management.
Police seized the computers for further examination as they expand the investigation. Kim was taken to the Immigration Bureau for legal proceedings related to his deportation.
Pol Maj Gen Songprod Sirisukha, commander of Immigration Bureau Division 3, added that officers had been instructed to continue widening the probe, as Thai nationals or other accomplices may still be hiding.
He urged the public to report foreign nationals suspected of committing crimes, using Thailand as an operational base, or hiding in the country. Information can be provided through the Immigration Bureau hotline at 1178.
