The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Thailand has launched an anti-fraud operation named "CIB Crushes Grey Dragon," targeting 11 locations in Chiang Mai Province to combat call center scams.
Commander Jiraphop Phuridet announced the arrest of 15 suspects, including a 30-year-old Thai woman named Jiraphan Prakobkit, whose husband is Chinese and believed to be the leader of the gang.
The operation targeted locations in three areas: one in Chiang Mai Province, five in San Sai, and five in San Kamphaeng. The arrested include one Thai man, five Chinese nationals, and eight Burmese individuals. These suspects face charges of illegal possession and unauthorized operation of radio communication devices.
At a press conference held on November 27 by the crime-fighting department in Bangkok, Thai police displayed seized evidence, including 642 GSM gateways (SIM card boxes), 72 computers, 1,455 mobile phones, 590,000 SIM cards, 47 SIM card readers, and various other devices, totaling 592,235 items.
The investigation into "CIB Crushes Grey Dragon" revealed that the gang had implemented a complex scheme, selling fake social media accounts to call center scammers and cybercriminals. They used SIM card boxes to generate one-time passwords (OTPs) for creating fraudulent social media accounts, with each OTP priced at about 5 Thai Baht (approximately 1 RMB).
Ms. Jiraphan denied direct involvement in the criminal activities, claiming she only rented houses and paid utilities for her Chinese husband, and that the devices were allegedly purchased by him. Other suspects reportedly served as caretakers of the houses where these devices were installed.
"This operation has significantly impacted the call center scams that cause billions of Thai Baht in losses each year," Commander Jiraphop stated, "Seizing these SIM card boxes effectively cuts off a major channel for cybercriminals. We are now intensifying efforts to capture the fugitive Chinese boss."
The case originated from an investigation in May, when Thai police raided 14 locations across 9 provinces, ultimately uncovering a larger criminal network in Chiang Mai. Authorities are still pursuing the remaining suspects, and the investigation continues.
