PHUKET, Thailand — Thai law enforcement authorities have dismantled an alleged Russian organized crime network operating in Phuket, seizing more than 5.4 million baht in cash during a series of coordinated raids linked to widespread online fraud and mule account investigations. The operation resulted in the arrest of one Russian national on an outstanding court warrant and the detention of another for severe immigration offenses, Phuket Times reported.

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The sweeping operation was executed on July 8 as part of a broader nationwide crackdown directed by the Thai government and the Royal Thai Police against cybercrime, call center scams, and transnational foreign criminal networks. The high-profile investigation was spearheaded by National Police Chief Police General Kitrat Phanphet, in close coordination with senior officers from Provincial Police Region 8, the Immigration Bureau, the Tourist Police Bureau, and the Phuket Provincial Police.

The probe was initiated after Provincial Police Region 8 and local Phuket police received critical intelligence from the Anti Online Scam Operation Center (ACSC). Investigators were alerted that a syndicate of Russian nationals was systematically withdrawing massive amounts of cash from automated teller machines across the island. These funds were allegedly tied to mule bank accounts utilized in a complex web of online fraud cases spanning multiple provinces in Thailand.

Following a meticulous analysis of CCTV footage, financial transaction records, and travel data, authorities secured search and arrest warrants from the Phuket Provincial Court. Officers then launched simultaneous raids on three targeted properties across the province.

During the first operation in the Wichit subdistrict of Mueang Phuket, police arrested 26-year-old Russian national Ilya Kutaisov, who was being held on an existing court warrant. Officers confiscated 638,700 baht in cash alongside other crucial evidence before transferring the suspect to the Wichit Police Station for formal legal processing.

The second raid, conducted at a property in the Chalong area, led officers to another Russian national, Igor Stelmak. He is currently under intense investigation for his suspected involvement in technology-related crimes. During the search of the premises, police uncovered a massive cache of 4,594,420 baht in Thai currency and 6,271 US dollars, bringing the total value seized at the location to approximately 4.8 million baht. Concurrently, immigration authorities moved swiftly to revoke Stelmak’s permission to remain in the Kingdom and are proceeding with enforcement actions under immigration law.

A third simultaneous search in the Cherng Talay area of Thalang district did not result in the apprehension of the intended target. However, investigators successfully collected additional evidence at the site and have launched an active manhunt to trace and arrest the fleeing individual.

In total, the coordinated raids yielded the seizure of approximately 5,440,063 baht in cash and a wealth of digital and physical evidence. Investigators are now deeply engaged in analyzing complex financial records to map out the full extent of the network’s connections to mule accounts and cybercrime operations across the country.

Authorities caution that additional victims may still be unaware they have been targeted by the syndicate or have yet to report their financial losses. Police are actively working to identify other members of the organization, specifically focusing on the masterminds directing the operations and those who have financially benefited from the illicit enterprise.

According to reports from the Daily News, the Phuket Provincial Police have reaffirmed their commitment to aggressively targeting mule account networks, illicit cash withdrawal operations, and transnational organized crime. Law enforcement officials emphasized that these enforcement actions will continue relentlessly, regardless of the nationality of the individuals involved in the criminal activities.

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As the judicial process advances, authorities remain dedicated to eradicating the infrastructure that supports international cyber fraud in the region.

-Thailand News (TN)