Chinese gang busted in Pattaya over illegal online lending racket
Luxury villa raids net 25 suspects, one overstayed his visa by 5 years
Pattaya cops smashed an illegal online loan syndicate run by Chinese nationals, uncovering a shady operation involving 25 suspects holed up in luxury homes, one of whom had overstayed his visa for over five years.
Officers led by Police Major General Thawatkiat Jindakawnnaong yesterday, June 17, stormed two upscale properties in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, executing search warrants in a coordinated raid.
Inside, police found 24 Chinese men and one woman allegedly operating an online loan service targeting clients back in China via the QQ messaging app.
The crew had all entered Thailand on tourist visas and had no work permits, making their stay, and their side hustle, completely illegal.
One man, 42 year old Mr Qiao, stunned officers when checks revealed he’d overstayed his visa by five years, one month and four days.
Pattaya News revealed that police seized a trove of evidence including Chinese-language ledgers, notebooks, laptops, mobile phones, and Internet routers, tools believed to be used in the illicit operation. The suspects were arrested without incident.
Officers charged the group with “participation in a secret society with unlawful intentions” and “engaging in work without appropriate permits.” Mr Qiao also faces a separate charge for overstaying his visa.
All 25 suspects and the seized items have been handed over to Pattaya City Police for further legal proceedings.
Meanwhile, over in Phuket, immigration officers arrested three Nigerian nationals as part of Thailand’s widening crackdown on dodgy foreigners.
In a targeted sweep, officials nabbed 30 year old Jude, overstayed by two days, 47 year old Chukwuemeka, 137 days, and 34 year old Onyekachi, who took the crown with a whopping 196-day overstay.
All three have been charged under immigration laws and handed to investigators.
The crackdown is part of a nationwide push to root out foreign nationals violating the Immigration Act B.E. 2522, Foreign Workers’ Employment Act, and the Foreign Business Act, as Thai authorities tighten the net on organised crime and visa fraud.
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