Airport arrest: Chinese fraud suspect extradited from Thailand
A Chinese national accused of public fraud has been extradited from Thailand to China in relation to a case involving over 112 million yuan (approximately US$15.3 million or 540 million baht).
Yan Tianxi was transferred to Shanghai Economic Police at Suvarnabhumi International Airport and subsequently boarded a flight to China on Thursday, January 16, confirmed Thitiwadee Sintawanarong, a public prosecutor at the Foreign Affairs Division of the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG).
An arrest warrant was issued last year by a Chinese court for Yan, who is accused of collaborating with others to defraud Chinese citizens of 112 million yuan through a deceptive loan application.
Upon learning that Yan had fled to Thailand, the Shanghai Economic Police sought assistance from the OAG to locate and extradite him. Thailand and China, having signed an extradition treaty in 1993, facilitated this process.
Thitiwadee stated that Thai police apprehended Yan on September 19 last year, just three days after the issuance of the arrest warrant. On October 28, the Criminal Court ordered Yan’s detention while awaiting extradition, reported Bangkok Post.
In a similar report, police at Suvarnabhumi Airport apprehended a 36 year old Thai man attempting to flee the country after allegedly scamming several individuals out of over 100 million baht through the sale of counterfeit luxury brand bags.
Thanawat’s arrest was executed by immigration police at the airport in Bang Phli, Samut Prakan, at 5pm on November 25. The arrest warrant had been issued by the South Bangkok District Court on November 22, charging him with fraud.
In another report, a Japanese national, allegedly a former Yakuza member, has been detained in relation to a dismantled call centre operation in Thailand, as announced by the Immigration Bureau on January 15.
Police suspect the Japanese man to have been the deputy leader of the Japanese gang that was intercepted in mid-December in Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri.
The man reportedly fled with another Japanese suspect before the police conducted raids in the province last month. He was apprehended at Don Mueang Airport on Sunday, January 12, while attempting to leave for Japan.