Bangkok: Immigration police intercepted a major Chinese scammer as he was preparing to flee the country. No escape! Immigration officers at the airport apprehended a "big boss" of a Chinese scamming ring, wanted on an Interpol Red Notice, with damages exceeding 1 billion baht, as he attempted to flee the country.
According to Thai News Agency, the Immigration Bureau reinforced its role as the "frontline of security" in apprehending a major transnational criminal after arresting an INTERPOL Red Notice suspect, the ringleader of an international scamming gang that defrauded over 500 Chinese victims of more than 200 million yuan (over 1 billion baht), while attempting to flee the country through Suvarnabhumi Airport.
This arrest was made following orders from Pol. Lt. Gen. Panumas Boonyalak, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau, who instructed that screening of individuals entering and leaving the country be intensified to counter transnational crime and all forms of security threats. On December 16, 2015, at approximately 5:30 PM, immigration police officers at Suvarnabhumi Airport arrested Mr. Huang, a 44-year-old Chinese national, while he was attempting to leave the country. He was found to be using a fake Mexican passport under the name Mr. GOL. A search revealed a genuine Chinese passport concealed in his possession.
An in-depth investigation revealed that Mr. Huang held a valid Thailand Privilege Card, allowing him to reside in Thailand for several more years. However, he chose to use a forged passport, an act that would reduce his residency rights, which is highly unusual.
Upon checking the database, it was discovered that Mr. Huang's Chinese passport contained a Red Notice issued by INTERPOL. Coordination was then made with the police at the Chinese Embassy in Thailand, after which it was confirmed that Mr. Huang was a key suspect in a scamming network wanted by the Chinese authorities.
The investigation revealed that Mr. Huang fled China in 2020 through natural border crossings in Yunnan Province, entering Myanmar. Subsequently, between 2022 and 2024, he joined a criminal network to establish a scammer gang base of operations in New Taichang Park, in the Kyaukhat area of Myawaddy Township, opposite Ban Huay Laeng, Phop Phra District, Tak Province, Thailand.
The gang's modus operandi involved creating a fake cryptocurrency investment platform and using social media to lure victims. They posed as wealthy, single businessmen to gain trust, promising high returns in the initial stages, before shutting down the system, absconding with the money, and cutting off all contact. As a result, over 500 Chinese victims lost vast sums of money.