Cyber police raid student scam network, seize THB100m assets

Thai cyber police have raided a luxury home in Bangkok and arrested three suspects as they expand an investigation into a call-centre scam network blamed for losses of more than THB200 million among student victims.

More than 40 items of property and evidence, with an estimated combined value of at least THB100 million, were seized during the operation in Saphan Sung district on October 6.

The raid was led by Pol Lt Gen Tinnakorn Rangmat, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), together with Immigration Bureau and Anti-Money Laundering Office officials.

Student loses more than THB660,000

The investigation followed a complaint involving a 19-year-old male student who allegedly lost a total of THB662,989.90 between September 23 and 25.

According to police, scammers first contacted the student while posing as employees of a mobile network operator and claimed that he was implicated in a money-laundering case.

The call was then transferred to another person posing as a police officer, allegedly to make the claim appear credible. The student was told to transfer money so authorities could supposedly verify his innocence.

Police tracing the financial trail found that the victim made five bank transfers totalling THB212,989.90. The money was subsequently moved through several accounts, while investigators found that funds linked to the network were also used to buy gold worth millions of baht.

The gang allegedly instructed the student to withdraw a further THB450,000 in cash and hand it to a collector in the car park of a shopping centre in the Salaya area of Nakhon Pathom.

Investigators said the cash was then passed through several people. Evidence eventually led them to a Chinese man, for whom an arrest warrant has been issued, who allegedly delivered cash outside a luxury housing estate in Saphan Sung.

Raid finds 11 people at luxury home

Police obtained Min Buri Criminal Court search warrant No.386/2026, dated October 5, and entered the property at about 7.30am the following morning.

Eleven people of Chinese, Myanmar, Russian and Thai nationalities were found at the house, according to police. Three were arrested in connection with the investigation.

Those arrested were a 37-year-old Chinese man, whom police accuse of receiving cash from Myanmar housekeepers, and two Myanmar women aged 35 and 24, who allegedly collected and delivered cash to the Chinese suspect.

All remain suspects and the allegations are subject to further investigation and legal proceedings.

Luxury watches among THB100m in seized assets

Officers seized more than 40 items, including luxury watches from Richard Mille, Patek Philippe, Rolex and Audemars, as well as cash, mobile phones, tablets, flash drives, passports, bank passbooks, powers of attorney and cash receipts.

Police put the preliminary value of the seized assets at no less than THB100 million.

Cyber police said students have increasingly become targets of call-centre scams, with losses among victims in this group already exceeding THB200 million. A previous case investigated by the CCIB involved a university student allegedly tricked out of THB3.6 million through a similar scheme in which callers posed as telecommunications staff and police.

Investigators are now tracing additional financial transactions and assets to identify beneficiaries and other people allegedly connected to the network, with further legal action expected against those found to be involved.