Bangkok police arrest 15 scammers, seize US$1 million

Bangkok police arrested 15 suspected scammers involved in a barrage of illegal businesses, seizing assets worth more than over 42 million baht (US$1.1 million) yesterday.

The arrests follow a series of disturbing incidents, including a raid on a nightclub disguised as a car wash in the Yannawa district, and the death of a tourist after a night out at a venue run by Chinese businessmen in the Ratchada district.

The suspects were arrested on Wednesday during raids on three Bangkok locations.

Deputy national police chief Torsak Sukvimol said police raided a house in the Prawet district, where they arrested five Chinese nationals and three Thais. They found three cars, two motorbikes, 58 bottles of imported liquor, 13 phones, three computers, and 7 million baht (US$180,000) in cash at the location.

In another raid, also in the Prawet district, on a house owned by a Chinese national, Lin Yian, many items, including three cars, a wristwatch, a passbook, suspicious ID cards and passports, as well as 7.5 million baht (US$200,000) in cash were seized. Police arrested Lin’s father and two Thais.

At a condominium on Sukhumvit 39, they arrested four Chinese nationals and seized eight brand-name bags, cigars and playing cards as well as a small matter of 28 million baht (US$740,000) in cash.

A check on Lin Snr.’s ID card showed that it was illegally produced in Chiang Mai, using the identity of a Thai citizen – a farmer from the countryside. Lin also holds Thai and Cambodian passports.

Lin Yian is known to run a restaurant near the Kings Romans Casino in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone in Laos, dubbed the “world’s worst special economic zone” and accused of involvement in human trafficking, narcotics smuggling, and the trade in endangered wildlife products.

Police are expanding the investigation to include state officials, politicians and senior police officers.