Thai cyber police have seized assets worth more 1.2 billion baht from a major online scamming gang and have arrested three suspects, including the alleged ring leader, during raids on 13 locations in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Nonthaburi.
The seized assets include 77 cars, 84 land title deeds, 50 baht in weight of gold ornaments, 10 million baht in foreign currencies and luxury wrist watches.
According to the cyber police, the gang used several means to dupe its victims, such as claiming to be state officials and demanding transfers of money into their “mule” accounts, in exchange for having charges against them dropped, inviting them to invest in foreign exchange futures or in non-existing online businesses.
More than three million baht has been transferred into the accounts of the alleged ring leader, “Tararat”, and other gang members and a substantial amount of it has been further transferred into the accounts of an online gambling network and used to buy properties, according to a cyber police officer.
A background check on Tararat shows that she faces numerous fraud charges in Bangkok, Khon Kaen and Ubon Ratchathani.
Thepsu Bowornchotedara, secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office, said victims of the gang can file complaints to reclaim their assets within 90 days.