THAILAND — On Monday, Demin Wen, a 35-year-old Chinese national, was arrested near Thailand’s border with Cambodia, suspected of leading one of the country’s largest call scam operations. The arrest took place in Ban Non Sao Ae village in Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district, a short distance from Cambodia.
According to Pol Maj Gen Montree Theskhan, the commander of the Crime Suppression Division, Wen was believed to be responsible for acquiring a large number of SIM boxes and SIM cards used to run fraudulent call centers. These facilities were reportedly set up in multiple rented houses in Chiang Mai province, where police recently conducted raids.
During the raids, authorities discovered 642 SIM boxes, 590,000 SIM cards, 72 computers, and 1,455 mobile phones. Authorities also arrested Wen’s Thai wife, who was allegedly in charge of managing the houses. Wen, however, was not present during the raid. He was later tracked down after fleeing to Bangkok and subsequently heading towards Sa Kaeo, where he was apprehended.
Wen’s escape was reportedly aided by his Chinese wife, Yin Xiaoying, who had arranged for his continued flight from Bangkok to Sa Kaeo. Yin was arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday.
In his statements to the police, Wen denied any knowledge of his wife’s arrest and claimed he was only planning to visit the Rong Kluea market in Sa Kaeo. He was taken into custody along with his wife, and investigations continue into their involvement in the scam operations.
