Police nab 5 for fraud, e-cigs and drugs

Police nab 5 for fraud, e-cigs and drugs

Pol Maj Gen Panthana Nuchanart, deputy head of the Immigration Bureau (IB), on Friday announces the arrest of five foreigners in four separate cases involving call centre scams, e-cigarette sales and narcotics. (Photo: Immigration Bureau)
Pol Maj Gen Panthana Nuchanart, deputy head of the Immigration Bureau (IB), on Friday announces the arrest of five foreigners in four separate cases involving call centre scams, e-cigarette sales and narcotics. (Photo: Immigration Bureau)

Five foreigners were arrested this week in four separate cases involving call centre scams, e-cigarette sales and narcotics, Pol Maj Gen Panthana Nuchanart, deputy head of the Immigration Bureau (IB), said.

The first case involved the arrest of a Korean fugitive, identified as Oh, 51, at his condominium in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri.

Mr Oh was wanted by the South Korean authorities on fraud charges, in which he allegedly led a China-based call-centre scam that caused at least 200 million won (5.42 million baht) in damages. A red notice was issued for his arrest by Interpol.

Mr Oh was also charged by the Chon Buri immigration office for overstaying, Pol Maj Gen Panthana said on Friday.

The second involved another Korean, identified as Blue, 27, who was arrested at a pub in Bangkok's Thong Lor area for selling e-cigarettes and illegal barakus, also known as hookahs, as well as working without a permit.

To arrest the suspect, Pol Maj Gen Panthana said that a policewoman was acting as a client and contacted Mr Blue through his online accounts. They agreed to meet at the pub, where the policewoman was able to arrest the suspect when he handed her the e-cigarette case, which he sold for 340 baht.

The third arrest involved a Taiwanese woman, identified as Meilee, 66, who was wanted by the Taiwan authorities for alleged fraud.

According to Pol Maj Gen Panthana, Ms Meilee claimed she was the vice president of a Thai real estate company through which she lured Taiwanese clients to invest in Thailand before she ran off with their money. The scam cost 88 victims at least 608 million baht in total damages. She was caught in her Sukhumvit condominium in Bangkok.

Metropolitan Police Division 1 on Friday also nabbed two Chinese suspects, identified as Li, 25, and Yang, 29, for possession of narcotic drugs for the purpose of distribution in their apartment in Bangkok's Huai Khwang district.

Police seized 18.8 kilogrammes of crystal meth and one bag of a powdered drug, as well as a digital weighing scale and two mobile phones.

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