Immigration Police launched an operation to dismantle a "grey Chinese" gang, arresting six suspects along with evidence. After Chinese authorities issued arrest warrants for the scammer gang, mainly based in Myanmar and cracked down, they fled to Malaysia, then secretly entered Thailand to regroup and operate online gambling and call centers. Investigators raided and arrested them at a luxury pool villa in Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province.
On 17 February 2026, Police Lieutenant General Phanumart Boonylak, Commander of Immigration Police, along with Police Major General Pantha Nuchnarat, Deputy Commander, ordered Police Major General Songprod Sirisukha, Commander of Immigration Division 3; Police Colonel Chinawut Tangwonglert, Deputy Commander of Immigration Division 3; and Police Colonel Suriya Puangsombat, Chief of Investigation Division, Immigration Division 3; supported by Deputy Chief of Investigation Police Lieutenant Colonel Ithithon Prasertsak, Investigation Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Thongthai Phairo, and Investigation Chief Police Lieutenant Colonel Anupap Tujinda, to lead a raid on a luxury pool villa in Nong Prue Subdistrict, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. They arrested Lin He, 38, a Chinese national and gang leader of the call center, along with five other Chinese suspects—four men and two women—seizing three laptops and 14 mobile phones as evidence.
The Immigration Division 3 investigation team received a tip that Lin He, wanted by Chinese authorities for crimes related to online gambling, scamming, and call centers, had fled and was residing in Chonburi Province. He had formed a gang with other Chinese nationals, renting a luxury pool villa to secretly operate online gambling and call center businesses. Authorities then surrounded, searched, and arrested the entire gang along with all seized evidence.
Upon investigation, it was found that Lin He and the others formed a call center gang that defrauded Chinese citizens and operated online gambling websites. Their original base was in Myanmar. After Chinese authorities issued arrest warrants for the entire gang and their Myanmar operations were heavily cracked down and shut down, they fled to Malaysia before coming to Thailand on 10 January. They were arrested shortly thereafter. The investigation team plans to expand their inquiry to identify other network associates.
All the Chinese suspects are classified as prohibited persons believed to pose a threat to society or individuals, with foreign government arrest warrants against them. Under Section 12(7) of the Immigration Act B.E. 2522 (1979), the investigation team considered revoking their permission to stay in the kingdom under Section 36 of the same act, before detaining them and coordinating with Chinese authorities for further legal action.