Thai immigration police have arrested 15 people after raiding a mansion in Bangkok's Bang Bon district which they say was being used by a call-centre scam gang targeting Japanese victims.
The raid took place on 16 September 2026 at a property in Soi Ekkachai 112, Bang Bon Nuea subdistrict. It was led by Pol Maj Gen Phanthana Nuchnarot, deputy commissioner of the Immigration Bureau.
Police acted after a member of the public reported seeing a large number of foreigners entering and leaving the house in suspicious circumstances. Officers obtained a search warrant and said their inspection uncovered the alleged operation.
Of the 15 suspects detained, one is Thai and 14 are foreign nationals from Japan, China, Taiwan and Myanmar. Police said all those arrested were operational-level workers responsible for making fraudulent calls.
Japanese-language scripts and fake police uniforms
Investigators said a Chinese boss allegedly used a nominee to rent the mansion for more than a year, at a reported monthly rent of 900,000 baht.
Police believe the alleged boss remains in Thailand. Officers are monitoring possible escape routes through natural border crossings, according to the report.
During a media inspection of the property, officers found that rooms had been assigned for separate parts of the operation. A second-floor office was used to make calls to alleged victims, with Japanese-language scripts displayed on the walls.
An adjoining room was reportedly used to transfer calls. It contained police uniforms bearing the logos of police stations in Japan, apparently intended to support impersonation during the calls.
How the alleged scam worked
Police said the group would randomly call people and claim that they had received a parcel containing illegal items. If a victim appeared convinced, the caller would transfer them to another line, where a person would pose as a police officer.
The victim would then be told that suspicious financial transactions had been found, or that they were linked to criminal activity. Callers allegedly sought to persuade victims to transfer money for supposed checking.
Authorities seized computers, mobile phones, money-exchange chips, and an unspecified quantity of crystal methamphetamine, or ice, along with drug-taking equipment. Officers are still examining and cataloguing the evidence.
Charges and immigration action pending
The suspects have been handed to Immigration Bureau investigators for consideration of charges. Authorities said foreign suspects could subsequently be repatriated.
Pictures courtesy of Thaitabloid
Join the discussion? 
18 September 2026
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment