Malaysian, Singaporean Among 24 Arrested in Thailand in Crackdown on Scam Syndicate

BANGKOK: Thai police have arrested 24 suspected members of an international scam syndicate that allegedly fled Myanmar following unrest and sought refuge in Thailand.

Among those detained were a Malaysian man and a Singaporean national believed to be linked to a large-scale online fraud network operating from Myawaddy, Myanmar.

The members of the international crime syndicate allegedly fled Myanmar and were hiding in a luxury villa in Samut Prakan and a hotel in Bangkok.

Malaysian, Singaporean Arrested

Lieutenant-General Natthasak Chaowanasai, commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau, said the arrests were made following intelligence from the Anti-Cyber Scam Centre, which tracked the movement of scammers escaping Myanmar’s conflict zones. Police raided a luxury pool villa in Samut Prakan on Oct 29, where 22 foreigners, mostly Filipinos, were found hiding.

Further investigation led officers to a hotel in Bangkok’s Pratunam district, where two additional suspects were captured — Malaysian Chen Kok Loon, 37, and Chinese national Lu Lisi, 33. The pair allegedly served as mid-level managers in the network, which was overseen by a Chinese financier known as “Boss Lin.”

Police said the syndicate operated three scam companies — DBL1, DBL2 and DRS — that targeted victims through Singaporean phone numbers with fake investment and online fraud schemes.

Working in Myawaddy

Captain Adisorn Intiyot of the Crime Suppression Division said the suspects admitted to working in Myawaddy before fleeing Thailand to await transfer to Cambodia. “The five who escaped are believed to be Malaysian managers,” he added.

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing to locate the remaining suspects and dismantle the transnational crime network.

27 Singaporeans among 34 people wanted for suspected links to Cambodia scam ring. Malaysia is also hunting down seven of its citizens linked to the network.

Business News