Police Bust Foreign Crime Network Trading ‘Mule’ Accounts

Picture courtesy of Khaosod

Police in Samut Sakhon have arrested a foreign suspect and seized dozens of bank books and ATM cards linked to a major mule account network allegedly supplying criminal groups in Bangkok. Officers also found 64 methamphetamine pills at the scene.

The arrest, announced on 10 October 2025, followed an operation by the Region 7 Provincial Police under the direction of Police Lieutenant General Pisit Tonprasert. The suspect, identified only as Jiradet, aged 20 and stateless, was detained at a house in Moo 2, Khok Krabue Subdistrict, Mueang District, Samut Sakhon. Police recovered 36 bank books, 86 ATM cards and several electronic devices, alongside the small quantity of methamphetamine.

The investigation stemmed from a crackdown ordered by the Technology Crime Suppression Centre under Provincial Police Region 7. Authorities had been tracking networks that bought and sold mule accounts, bank accounts used in cybercrime, including online scams, call centre fraud and illegal gambling. Intelligence led officers to a group of foreign nationals allegedly purchasing accounts from migrant workers and reselling them to criminals operating mainly in Bangkok.

During the search, Jiradet reportedly admitted ownership of the seized methamphetamine. He told investigators that he bought the bank books and ATM cards from a foreign intermediary in Samut Sakhon for 12,000 baht per set, then resold them to an unidentified Thai man in Bangkok via the LINE messaging app for 16,000 baht. The transactions were arranged online, with meetings scheduled for physical exchanges.

Police Major General Chomchawin Purathananon, Deputy Commissioner of Region 7, said the case revealed a new and growing threat involving foreign-led technological crime networks. He noted that profits from mule account sales were allegedly used to purchase drugs later sold to other migrant workers. “This network represents a dual threat, financial and narcotic, that must be dismantled completely,” he stated.

Authorities are now expanding the investigation to identify and arrest the larger network, including recruiters who pay individuals to open accounts and intermediaries involved in selling them. Police will also coordinate with banks to determine how large numbers of accounts were opened in migrant workers’ names and ensure stricter compliance with verification rules.

Key Takeaways

• Police in Samut Sakhon arrested a 20-year-old stateless man for trading mule accounts and possessing methamphetamine.

• The network allegedly bought accounts from migrants and resold them to Bangkok-based cybercriminals.

• Investigators are pursuing higher-level figures and examining banks’ role in facilitating account openings.

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  Adapted by Asean Now from Khaosod 2025-10-12