Cyber police announced an operation arresting five scammer rings, cutting off two major networks. These included call center gangs that threatened and tricked students into transferring over 2 million baht, withdrew victims' money to buy gold to disguise the money trail sent to a Chinese boss, and lured victims to join discount activities for buying olive trees, resulting in losses exceeding 6 million baht.
At 11:00 a.m. on 2 Nov 2026 at the Technology Crime Suppression Division 2 (TCSD2) in Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi Province, Pol. Lt. Gen. Thinkorn Rangmat, Commander of TCSD, assigned Pol. Maj. Gen. Arut Saengchan, Deputy Commander of TCSD, Pol. Maj. Gen. Siriwat Deepo, Deputy Inspector General assisting TCSD, Pol. Maj. Gen. Chatpundakan Klaiklueng, TCSD Advisor, Pol. Col. Khajorn Aobthong, Deputy Commander of TCSD2, Pol. Col. Monchai Boonlert, Superintendent 2 of TCSD2, and Pol. Col. Wisarut Jansuwan, Superintendent 1 of TCSD2 to jointly announce the operation arresting five scammer rings, dismantling two major networks.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Arut Saengchan, Deputy Commander of TCSD, said the first operation began in mid-October when Pol. Col. Monchai Boonlert, Superintendent 2 of TCSD2, led a police team from Investigation Division 2 to launch the "Shadow over Mule Accounts" operation. They arrested eight suspects and seized eight mobile phones, 22 ATM cards, and several bank passbooks after uncovering a large organized ring controlling new mule accounts that withdrew cash at bank counters. The cash was handed to mule account controllers before being deposited via deposit machines to conceal the source. The operation revealed a structured division of roles from command, mule account controllers, cash receivers and depositors, drivers, and lookouts at meeting points such as banks, department stores, and hotels across several provinces. Each account received transfers ranging from 100,000 to 1,000,000 baht daily.
Further investigation uncovered links to another call center gang impersonating officials from a mobile network provider and police from Ranong City Police Station. They threatened victims, claiming involvement in money laundering, and coerced student victims into transferring over 2 million baht in total.
Investigations found mule account controllers who instructed mules to scan and transfer money to buy gold. The controllers then sold the gold bars to a gold melting shop in Bang Bua Thong District, Nonthaburi Province, converting the money into assets and back into cash before forwarding it to Chinese boss beneficiaries. This process was designed to obscure the money trail. Authorities gathered evidence and obtained court warrants to arrest two suspects and conduct search operations.
Recently, Pol. Col. Monchai Boonlert, Superintendent 2 of TCSD2, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Den Danai Watwanvijitnon, Deputy Superintendent (Investigation) of Division 2, Pol. Lt. Col. Detthanon Sarathan, Investigator of Division 2, Pol. Lt. Col. Nantatchporn Thaemphan, Investigator of Division 2, Pol. Capt. Udom Thawanwet, Investigator of Division 2, and Pol. Capt. Sarun Witayathornlikit, Investigator (Investigation) of Division 2, led a team with a Nonthaburi Provincial Court search warrant No. 1176/2569 to search a residence in Village No. 11, Bang Bua Thong Subdistrict, Bang Bua Thong District, Nonthaburi. They arrested Ms. Apiwan Sukrapas, 33, from Chiang Rai Province, wanted under Nonthaburi Provincial Court warrant No. 1657/2569 dated 26 Oct 2026, and seized one mobile phone, two bank passbooks, one cash card, and one gold bracelet.
Investigators also tracked and arrested Mr. Thanaphisit Yonsuk, 47, from Ratchaburi Province, wanted under Nonthaburi Provincial Court warrant No. 1656/2569 dated 26 Oct 2026, at a condominium room in Muang Thong Thani, Ban Mai Subdistrict, Pak Kret District, Nonthaburi. They seized one mobile phone. Both suspects initially confessed.
They face charges of "aiding and abetting a group of criminals to defraud the public by impersonating others, aiding and abetting a group of criminals to fraudulently input false computer data likely to cause damage to the public," "jointly procuring, advertising, or disseminating information to facilitate the buying, selling, renting, or lending of bank accounts, electronic cards, or electronic accounts used in technology crimes or other criminal offenses," and "conspiring with two or more persons to commit money laundering and actually committing money laundering due to conspiracy."
Pol. Lt. Gen. Thinkorn Rangmat, TCSD Commander, added that in the second operation, investigation teams from Division 1 of TCSD2 and the Intelligence and Special Tools Division of TCSD2 jointly arrested suspects involved in a scammer gang tricking victims into joining discount activities to buy olive trees, causing losses exceeding 6 million baht.
This case began in July when a female victim from Prachuap Khiri Khan Province found a Facebook page named “Supee Extic” advertising the sale of olive trees and other imported plants. Interested, she contacted the seller and bought an olive tree for 11,710 baht. After payment, the scammers invited her to join a discount activity. Initially, she received returns but later, after transferring larger sums, she was unable to withdraw money. The scammers claimed withdrawal errors locked the system and required more money transfers to reset it. She transferred a total of 16 times amounting to 6,481,165.50 baht. Afterward, contact was lost, and realizing she was scammed, she filed a complaint with Hua Hin Police Station, Prachuap Khiri Khan.
Subsequently, Pol. Col. Wisarut Jansuwan, Superintendent 1 of TCSD2, and Pol. Col. Kunapayont Areerattanantorn, Superintendent of Intelligence and Special Tools Division, jointly investigated and found that after victims' money was transferred into the scammers' bank accounts, they quickly withdrew cash at banks. Some bought gold bars from gold shops. They then passed cash or gold bars to other gang members in stages to conceal the money's origin, with controllers closely monitoring the mule cash withdrawers.
Gathering evidence, the court approved warrants to arrest six suspects involved. Authorities have arrested three: Mr. Thinkorn Meedet, 38, a cash mule in Nonthaburi; Ms. Kattiya Thongthong, 35, who received money from cash mules in Nakhon Sawan; and Ms. Orauma Namprasop, 31, a cash mule who converted money into gold in Nonthaburi. All admitted to roles as account owners and withdrawing money from victims' transferred accounts before handing cash or gold to controllers for forwarding to beneficiaries.
They face charges of "jointly defrauding the public by impersonating others and fraudulently inputting distorted or false computer data likely to cause damage to any person, excluding defamation offenses under the Criminal Code," with prosecution underway according to law.
The TCSD Commander added that during 2025-2026, the Technology Crime Suppression Division conducted 7,413 operations, arresting 7,584 offenders, and cracking down on online gambling in 1,799 cases with 1,924 arrests. Assets related to crimes worth over 3.273 billion baht were seized, and more than 294 million baht were returned to victims under the Money Cash Back project.
Notably, from 1 to 30 October 2026, authorities handled 223 technology crime cases with 216 arrests and asset seizures exceeding 16.43 million baht. They also suppressed 89 online gambling cases with 89 arrests and assets seized over 32.19 million baht. They uncovered online gambling networks with annual turnover exceeding 200 million baht.