The Highway Police Division (HPD) has arrested a key suspect connected to a gang that deceived Myanmar migrant workers into opening mule accounts used for fraudulent activities.
Pol Maj Gen Kongkrit Lertsitthikul, the HPD commander, confirmed the arrest of 30-year-old Chitisan (last name withheld) in the Wang Nam Khieo area of Kamphaeng Saen district, Nakhon Pathom. The arrest came after 54 Myanmar migrant workers filed complaints, alleging they were tricked into opening bank accounts that were later sold to call center scammers and online fraudsters. These accounts were used for illegal financial transactions.
According to the workers, the gang falsely told them that registering bank accounts in their names was necessary to receive their wages. However, they only realized they had been scammed when arrest warrants were issued for charges of owning mule accounts and assisting in fraud.
Pol Maj Gen Kongkrit clarified that the bank accounts were linked to electronic money transfer services, facilitating the transfer of illicit funds. The workers, upon realizing the fraud, filed complaints with the Myanmar embassy, which coordinated with local banks to close the affected accounts.
The total damage caused by the scam is estimated to be around two billion baht.
Chitisan reportedly confessed to working with the gang for two years, allegedly driving migrant workers to various banks in Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, and Rayong to open the mule accounts.