NBTC and Thai police bust illegal communications warehouse worth over 200 million baht

The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) and the Royal Thai Police (RTP) demolished an illegal communications radio warehouse in Pathum Thani province. The joint operation aimed to disrupt the network of call centres, seizing CCTV cameras fitted with SIM cards and 58,400 related items, valued at over 200 million baht.

At 10am today, Dr Sornchai Boonyachaiyapruek, the chairman of the NBTC, instructed Dr Nattatorn Proasunthorn of the Legal Affairs division and head of the Joint Committee on Law Enforcement for Technology-related Crimes, and Dr Thatchai Pitaneelabutr, the Assistant National Police Chief, to oversee the operation.

Tri Rat Wiriyasirikul, acting Secretary-General of the NBTC, Nivathe Abhavasin, Deputy Commissioner of the Royal Thai Police, and Jaturn Choksawat, Director of the Telecommunications Business Supervision Office, along with NBTC operation units and the Cybercrime Investigation Police, reported on the operation to clear the illegal communications equipment warehouse that was disrupting mobile signals and targeting call centre gangs in the Bangkok and its surrounding areas.

Dr Nattatorn stated that as a result of joint operations between the NBTC and the police to arrest and seize illegal communication radios and other technological devices used by call centre gangs to commit crimes, such as electronic SIM boxes and false base stations, there is reason to believe that these items have been smuggled into the kingdom by separating parts or hiding them with other equipment illegally.

Investigations revealed various sales points and illegal warehouses for these communication radios and other electronics spread across several areas. Coupled with reports of disruptive mobile signal devices, which compromise the quality of phone signals and aid online criminal gangs, NBTC officials sought and obtained search warrants for suspicious warehouses in Pathum Thani province.

Although the physical devices were not found during the search, numerous illegal communication radios resembling CCTV cameras fitted with SIM cards and related equipment were discovered. As a result, these items were seized and sent for further testing to determine their purpose, and arrests were made in relation to the offence under the Communications Radio Act B.E. 2498, Section 6, which states, that no person shall manufacture, possess, use, import, export or trade in any radio communication equipment without a licence issued by the competent official. The punishment for violation of this law is a fine not exceeding one hundred thousand baht, imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both.

Legal action

Dr Thatchai stated that the RTP, in close cooperation with the NBTC and related agencies, managed to seize 58,400 items during this operation, with an estimated value of over 200 million baht. The suspects were handed over to investigation officers at Lam Luk Ka Police Station to proceed with legal action.

Furthermore, the police and NBTC will continue to conduct joint operations to eradicate the supply points for these illegal communication radios and other electronic devices. These operations aim to cut off the roots of call centre gangs and online criminal organisations, making it difficult for them to access illegal communication devices used for criminal activities, and to protect Thais from being deceived, reported KhaoSod.