The Immigration Bureau (IB) has apprehended two suspected Chinese and Korean swindlers -- the latter wanted by Interpol -- as well as a Korean call centre gang, all of whom were found to have overstayed their visas, among other crimes.
Deputy national police chief Pol Gen Roy Inkhapairote and bureau chief Pol Lt Gen Phakphumphiphat Satchaphan said yesterday the Chinese suspect, who was identified as Ter, 49, was wanted by the Chinese government after defrauding 7,000 people out of at least 6 billion baht.
The Thai authorities also issued a warrant against him for registering an illegal business. He was later temporarily released by Muang Pattaya Police Station.
Mr Ter illegally registered a company named Jiahe in 2014 in China and reportedly tricked people into joining his investment scam.
He escaped a warrant in his homeland and entered Thailand in 2021, registering with the Thailand Privilege Card (PE) at Suvarnabhumi airport.
The authorities arrested Mr Ter at the Chaeng Watthana Government Complex last month after receiving a report from an investigation team.
Meanwhile, the suspected Korean swindler was arrested last Friday after Interpol issued a red notice for him.
The 51-year-old suspect, identified only as Yejun, was said to have defrauded dozens of people and acquired property worth at least 1 billion baht. He entered Thailand in August on a 90-day tourist visa exemption that expired on Nov 1.
The IB also arrested members of a Korean call centre gang based in Chiang Mai, which was found to have amassed 50 million baht, for overstaying their visas and fraud.
The gang, comprising five suspects, was formerly based in China. They were arrested in Thailand on Wednesday as a result of cooperation from the South Korean embassy. The gang is said to have defrauded at least 30,000 people, according to the IB.