The Immigration Bureau held a press conference presenting statistics on arrests of transnational criminals involved in money laundering and brutal murders, along with intercepting a modified covered van concealing undocumented migrants aiming to deceive officials, totaling 51 individuals.
Following the National Police policy, led by Police General Kittirat Phanphet, Commissioner-General of Police; Police General Samran Nualma, Deputy Commissioner/Director of the National Police Special Task Force; Police Lieutenant General Itthiphon Itthisarnronchai, Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Director of the Special Task Force; Police Lieutenant General Udon Yomjaroen, Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Director of the Special Task Force; and Police Lieutenant General Jiraphop Puridej, Assistant Commissioner/Deputy Director of the Special Task Force, ordered the Immigration Bureau to intercept, inspect, and intensify arrests of foreigners involved in illegal businesses in Thailand. They also directed investigations on Thais and foreigners exhibiting inappropriate behavior or breaking laws while residing in Thailand, causing harm to public peace and safety, damaging the country's image, or involving transnational criminal groups operating or using Thailand as a base for their crimes.
Under the leadership of Police Lieutenant General Phanumas Boonylaksam, Commander of the Immigration Bureau/Director of the Special Task Force, Police Major General Pantha Nuchnarat, Deputy Commander/Deputy Director, Police Major General Panop Worathanatchakul, Chief of Investigation Division/Secretary of the Special Task Force, Police Colonel Ratchote Chotikoon, Deputy Chief of Investigation Division, Police Colonel Danphrai Kaewwela, Deputy Chief of Investigation Division, Police Colonel Surasak Surinkaeo, Deputy Chief of Investigation Division, Police Colonel Chalermchon Laemtong, Deputy Chief of Investigation Division, Police Colonel Thawatchai Narinrat, Chief of Investigation Unit 1, and Police Colonel Phisit Sri-on, Chief of Investigation Unit 2, jointly held a press conference on significant arrests as follows:
1. Statistics on arrests of foreign nationals with international arrest warrants by the Immigration Bureau.
The Immigration Bureau reports statistics on arrests of foreign nationals with international arrest warrants for the years 2025 and 2026 as follows:
Year 2025 A total of 102 individuals were arrested, broken down by nationality as follows: 42 Chinese, 8 South Koreans, 6 Japanese, 6 Americans, 5 Russians, and 35 others. Categorized by offense type: 68 theft-related cases, 6 sexual offenses, 11 violent crimes, 15 drug offenses, and 2 organized crime cases. Chinese nationals accounted for 42 individuals, representing 41 percent.
Year 2026 A total of 23 individuals were arrested, including 1 American, 1 Russian, 14 Chinese, 3 Vietnamese, 1 Taiwanese, 1 Maldivian, 1 French, and 1 South Korean. By offense: 13 theft-related, 1 sexual offense, 4 violent crimes, 3 organized crime, 1 drug offense, and 1 money laundering case. Chinese nationals totaled 14 individuals, representing 60 percent.
2. Immigration Bureau detectives arrested an American man wanted for a brutal murder in the United States.
The Immigration Bureau's Investigation Division received information from the U.S. Criminal Investigation Office in Bangkok about Mr. Peter (surname withheld), 23, an American wanted by the Richmond, Georgia High Court for intentional murder, firearm possession, trespassing, and theft. The suspect allegedly, along with another individual already arrested by U.S. police, broke into a victim's home and fatally shot the victim. It is believed Mr. Peter fled the crime scene and entered Thailand. Police Major General Panop Worathanatchakul ordered Investigation Unit 1 to track and arrest Mr. Peter for extradition to the U.S. for prosecution.
Investigation Unit 1 found Mr. Peter residing in a condominium on Sanphawut 2 Alley, Bang Na Nuea Subdistrict, Bang Na District, Bangkok. Upon locating him, officials notified Mr. Peter of the revocation of his permission to stay in the kingdom and presented the Richmond, Georgia High Court warrant. Initially, Mr. Peter denied the charges. He was then transferred to Investigation Unit 3 for detention pending extradition to the U.S.
3. Immigration detectives arrested a Maldivian suspect with a Red Notice for money laundering involving losses exceeding 50 million baht.
The Maldives Embassy in Thailand requested cooperation from the Royal Thai Police to locate Mr. Mohammed (surname withheld), 38, a Maldivian fugitive wanted for aiding and supporting money laundering. Interpol issued a Red Notice to facilitate his extradition to the Maldives for prosecution.
According to Maldivian police investigations, Mr. Mohammed, while serving as the finance head of the Maldives Football Association, embezzled funds received from FIFA for personal use. He also assisted the former association president in embezzlement and money laundering, participating by falsifying documents to show transactions as 'U.S. dollar sales' to purchase a penthouse valued at 25 million Maldivian rufiyaa (approximately 1,621,271.08 U.S. dollars or over 50 million baht) in 2021 for the former president. Mr. Mohammed fled to Thailand to evade prosecution.
Investigation Unit 1 found Mr. Mohammed staying at a hotel on Prasert-Manukit Road, Chorakhe Bua Subdistrict, Lat Phrao District, Bangkok. Authorities investigated and apprehended him, then notified him of revocation of his permission to stay in Thailand. He was transferred to Investigation Unit 3 for detention pending extradition to the Maldives.
4. Arrest of three Vietnamese nationals wanted for homicide hiding in Thailand.
Investigation Unit 1 arrested Mr. Ba Vu (surname withheld), 56, Ms. Thu Huyen (surname withheld), 40, and Mr. La Duy (surname withheld), 45, all Vietnamese nationals, accused of overstaying their permission to remain in the kingdom.
Following a request from the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Public Security of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Immigration Bureau was asked to investigate and apprehend Mr. Ba Vu, Ms. Thu Huyen, and Mr. La Duy, wanted by Danang City Police for intentional homicide. Police Major General Panop Worathanatchakul ordered Investigation Unit 1 to track and arrest them. Investigations revealed Mr. Ba Vu and Ms. Thu Huyen were staying at a hotel in Village 6, Na Kluea Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, while Mr. La Duy resided in Suan Plu Alley, Sathorn District, Bangkok. All three had overstayed their permission to remain in Thailand (overstay). Officers planned and conducted arrests at both locations.
At the hotel in Village 6, Na Kluea Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province, officers found and arrested Mr. Ba Vu and Ms. Thu Huyen, handing them over to Pattaya City Police for legal proceedings. At the residence in Suan Plu Alley, Sathorn District, Bangkok, Mr. La Duy was found and arrested, then transferred to the Investigation Division of the Immigration Bureau for prosecution. Investigation Unit 3 will proceed with extraditing all three to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam for legal action.
5. Immigration Bureau intercepts a modified covered van concealing undocumented migrants to deceive officials.
Investigation Unit 2 arrested Mr. Somchai (surname withheld), 26, a Myanmar national, along with a modified covered pickup truck. He was charged with knowingly harboring foreigners who entered the kingdom illegally, concealing or assisting them to evade arrest. Fifty-one Myanmar nationals were apprehended inside the vehicle.
All 51 migrants were accused of entering and residing in the kingdom without permission. They were handed over to the Lat Ya Police Station in Kanchanaburi Province for legal proceedings. The arrest occurred on Saeng Chuto Road, Lat Ya Subdistrict, Mueang Kanchanaburi District, Kanchanaburi Province.
Investigation Unit 2 received a tip-off about illegal border crossings in Kanchanaburi Province. After investigation confirmed the smuggling routes, officers set up operations and spotted a suspicious covered pickup truck speeding toward Kanchanaburi city. The officers closely pursued and identified themselves as immigration police, signaling the driver to stop for inspection. The driver was Mr. Somchai, a Myanmar national. Inside, 51 undocumented male and female Myanmar migrant workers were found hiding.
During questioning, Mr. Somchai admitted receiving the Myanmar migrants from the border area of Sangkhla Buri District, Kanchanaburi Province. He charged 13,000 baht per person to travel to Prachuap Khiri Khan, 30,000 baht per person to Nakhon Ratchasima, 12,000 to 16,000 baht per person to Samut Sakhon, and 50,000 to 65,000 baht per person to Malaysia. He was informed of the charges and arrested. Investigations will continue to identify accomplices.
The Immigration Bureau wishes to inform the public that it has measures in place to inspect, enforce, and suppress various offenses, including monitoring Thai and foreign individuals with arrest warrants and their travel in and out of Thailand. Citizens who observe signs of illegal activity are encouraged to report to the Immigration Bureau at the Chalermphrakiat Somdet Phra Borommaratcha Orasathirat Siam Makut Ratchakuman Building, 904 Moo 6, Ban Mai Subdistrict, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi 11120, or contact immigration offices in their area, or viawww.immigration.go.thYour cooperation is greatly appreciated.