Police arrest key figure in Chinese call centre scam
Police successfully apprehended a major figure in a Chinese call centre scam syndicate operating in Thailand. Teo Min, a 35 year old Chinese national, was arrested near the Sakaeo border after evading capture for several weeks. His 37 year old wife, Yin, also from China, was arrested at Suvarnabhumi International Airport while attempting to flee the country.
The arrest followed an extensive investigation by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in collaboration with the Sakaeo Provincial Police, Sakaeo Immigration, and other law enforcement agencies. They had been tracking Teo Min, who was the leader of a cross-border call centre scam operation that used illegal telecommunications equipment to deceive people into transferring money.
Earlier, the CIB had conducted raids on 14 locations across nine provinces in Thailand, uncovering equipment and tools used in the call centre scam. Among those arrested was Jiraporn, who played a significant role in coordinating logistics for the operation, including the installation of GSM Gateway devices or SIM boxes, and managing operational costs.
It was revealed that she was working alongside her husband, Teo Min, who was identified as the financier and mastermind behind the syndicate.
After Jiraporn’s arrest, law enforcement turned their focus to Teo Min, who quickly fled the area, reportedly travelling from Chiang Mai to Nakhon Sawan before abandoning his vehicle and boarding a bus to Bangkok. He was planning to escape the country with the help of his wife, Yin.
Teo Min was tracked down at a border crossing in Sakaeo, where he was taken into custody. Meanwhile, his wife was intercepted at Suvarnabhumi Airport while attempting to leave the country.
During questioning, both suspects denied involvement in the scam. Teo Min claimed he had no knowledge of his wife’s arrest and insisted he had no intention of fleeing the country, stating he only planned to visit the Pratunam Market in the Aranyaprathet District near the Thai-Cambodian border, reported KhaoSod.
The two suspects were transferred to the CIB’s Investigation Division for further questioning. Teo Min faces multiple charges related to illegal telecommunications operations, while Yin is under investigation for aiding and abetting the crime.
