SAMUT PRAKAN – In a major crackdown dubbed “City Lockdown: Hunt for Scammers,” police have arrested 24 foreign nationals who were allegedly hiding in a luxury pool villa in Samut Prakan. The suspects, most of whom are Filipino nationals, are believed to be part of a cross-border online fraud network that fled from Myawaddy, Myanmar, following recent unrest in the area.

Chinese Scammers Arrested in Chiang Mai Villa Raid, Dozen More Flee

The operation was launched under the supervision of Pol Lt Gen Jiraphop Phuridej, Assistant National Police Chief, and directed by Pol Lt Gen Natthasak Chaownasai, Commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau. A joint task force comprising officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD), the Immigration Bureau, and cybercrime specialists carried out the raid on the high-end property.

During the operation, officers discovered 22 individuals, a mix of Filipinos and Singaporeans, residing at the villa. An immigration check revealed that two of the women, identified as 38-year-old Mrs. Chessy and 29-year-old Ms. Rose, had entered Thailand without proper permits. Seventeen others were found to have overstayed their visas. All were subsequently charged under the Immigration Act and transferred to the Immigration Bureau for legal processing.

Thai police bust 24 foreign scammers hiding in Samut Prakan villas after fleeing unrest in Myanmar. Two ringleaders caught, five still on the run. #CyberCrime #Thailand https://t.co/kmHFQYHWgw

— Thenationthailand (@Thenationth) November 1, 2025

Questioning of the suspects revealed that the group had previously been employed by scam companies operating under Chinese management in Myawaddy. They fled into Thailand after violent conflict erupted in the area around October 21, 2025. Their supervisor had arranged their accommodation at the villa for 200,000 baht, intended to house them from October 27 to 31 while they awaited relocation to a third country.

Three other individuals present at the villa, including a 44-year-old Singaporean man and two 25-year-old Filipinos, were not initially charged but are under review for visa cancellation due to suspected links to the scam network. Information provided by the Singaporean national, Mr. Kwang Wee, led police to a Bangkok hotel where they questioned two additional suspects, a 37-year-old Malaysian man and a 33-year-old Chinese woman, both connected to the same fraudulent operation.

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Authorities are now searching for five Malaysian suspects who fled before the raid could be executed. Investigators have identified the syndicate’s leadership as a Chinese national known as Mr. Lin, who is believed to control three scam companies in Myawaddy specialising in investment fraud that primarily targeted Singaporean mobile phone users. All arrested suspects have reportedly confessed during preliminary questioning, and the public has been urged to report any suspicious foreign activity to the relevant authorities.

-Thailand News (TN)