Cyber Police Arrest 2 Chinese Suspects in Chonburi Condo, Seize Multiple Phones

Cyber police conducted a raid and arrested two Chinese nationals who had established a base in a condominium in Chonburi province, suspected of scamming Chinese victims through investment and romance fraud schemes. On January 30, 2024, senior police officers ordered a coordinated operation between cyber police and investigation teams to execute a search warrant at a 6th-floor condo unit in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung District, Chonburi Province. They arrested Mr. Liu Meng, 39, and Mr. Shao Zhong, 49, both Chinese nationals, and seized 103,400 baht in cash, 26 mobile phones, 2 laptops, 1 internet router, and 4 notebooks with recorded information. The investigation was prompted by intelligence about Chinese nationals running call center scam operations or communication farm systems to intercept OTP codes for various online fraud activities in Pattaya. During the raid, numerous phones were found scattered throughout the room, with continuous chat messages in Chinese coming through Telegram. When questioned, the suspects denied ownership of the phones and claimed the devices were not used for scamming, but investigators remain skeptical. The initial charges against Mr. Liu Meng include "overstaying visa by 260 days", while Mr. Shao Zhong is charged with "failing to report change of residence" under Article 37. Both suspects will be processed according to the law, with ongoing investigations to uncover the full extent of their criminal network and trace the financial proceeds of their alleged fraudulent activities.