Chinese man with 2,000 ATM cards arrested in Chiang Rai scam

The arrest was announced by Police Major General Manop Senakul, Commander of Chiang Rai Provincial Police, during a press conference yesterday, October 24.

The 35 year old Chinese suspect, originally from Hubei province, was caught at around 12.04am on Thursday, October 23, during a routine patrol near a local bank. Officers noticed the man acting suspiciously and, when approached, he attempted to flee but was quickly apprehended.

A search of his belongings revealed several ATM cards and money transfer slips. Police later searched his hotel room, uncovering a total of 2,057 ATM cards, 537,900 baht in cash, and documents containing account and card information.

The man confessed that he was acting under instructions from another Chinese national, who had contacted him via the messaging app Lark. He said his role was to withdraw and transfer money as part of a larger cybercrime network.

He has been charged with “unlawfully possessing other people’s electronic cards with intent to use them, which could potentially cause harm to others or the public,” along with other financial crime-related offences.

In a separate case, Chiang Saen police intercepted a parcel believed to be en route to Laos containing 34 bank books, 38 ATM cards, and 39 SIM cards. The package had been dropped off at the Golden Triangle checkpoint by a private courier service.

Officers, acting on a tip-off, observed a man accepting the delivery and moved in to search the contents. The man, who worked as a vehicle parker near the border, admitted to moonlighting in illegal activities for extra income. Further seizures of similar items were made at another private delivery firm on October 21 and 22, reported The Nation.

Police suspect the items were intended for use by a Chinese-run scam network operating out of Laos. Officers say the crackdown is part of a broader campaign to target cross-border money laundering and cybercrime.

Pol. Maj. Gen. Manop stressed that the arrests revealed the extent of the criminal network and highlighted the need for increased public education around online scams.

“It’s crucial to ramp up efforts to educate the public to serve as a defence against these types of fraud.”