Police have arrested two Thai women accused of helping operate a transnational call-centre scam network that defrauded victims of nearly 120 million baht by impersonating state officials through illegal SIM box installations in Sa Kaeo province.
Officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) and Khlong Hat police station in Sa Kaeo apprehended Ms Pannarat, 43, and Ms Nam-oy, 45, in Khlong Hat district on Sunday. Their surnames were not disclosed.
The pair were wanted under arrest warrants issued by the Criminal Court on charges of colluding in public fraud, inputting false information into a computer system, participating in a transnational criminal organisation, money laundering and membership of a secret criminal association, Pol Maj Gen Chanannat Santhawanpaet, commander of the TCSD, said.
It was part of a police operation aimed at dismantling transnational call-centre networks.
The arrests followed complaints linked to call scammers posing as state officials and deceiving victims into transferring money to accounts they nominated, pending "further investigation". Investigators reported more than 630 cases, with total losss nearing 120 million baht.
Investigators traced the operation to 12 SIM boxes, used to route internet calls through local mobile networks, installed at various locations across Sa Kaeo province.
Authorities previously seized the equipment and arrested a man identified only as Santichok, an internet technician hired to install the systems, before expanding the investigation and arresting the two women.
During questioning, the suspects alleged confessed they were hired by a Chinese national to rent buildings and arrange installation of the equipment. They said they were paid 10,000 baht per device per month, with payments made in cryptocurrency. To avoid detection, the suspects and other network members moved to different locations every two to three months.
The arresting team handed the suspects over to investigators at TCSD Division 2 for legal proceedings. The investigation was being expanded to track down other members of the network.
