Yesterday, police raided a house in Phra Khanong where 20 suspects were running an illegal call center. The 18 Taiwanese suspects and two Chinese suspects were working out of a two-story house rented by a Taiwanese citizen on Pridi Banomyong Soi 25 off Sukhumvit 71 Road.
The call center, which had been soundproofed using foam and cheap mattresses was used to blackmail, harass, and extort money from people is the suspect’s home countries. Police referred to the suspects as a gang and the raid was performed by the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) after Taiwanese police requested help from the Thai police, reported Thai PBS.
Taiwanese police had received several complaints from victims saying they were being harassed and blackmailed over the phone by this gang. The members had reported already collected more than THB50 million from those they had threatened and harassed.
Their scheme involved calling their would-be victims in Taiwan and China pretending to be police officers or bank workers.
They would claim to hold evidence that the victim was involved in any number of illegal activities and ask for a pay-off in order to keep quiet about the crime. They asked for electronic money transfers.
Officers confiscated office equipment, laptops, cell phones, headsets and victim lists from the home. The suspects are to be charged with working without work permits. The Immigration Bureau will get involved to deport them.
Officials were quick to add that no Thai people worked with these suspects.
