Police Arrest Malaysian Call Scam Cash Mule in Hat Yai

Pictures courtesy of Daily News

Immigration and regional police have arrested a 19-year-old Malaysian national suspected of acting as a cash mule for a transnational call centre scam, less than 24 hours after a court warrant was issued. The suspect was detained at a hotel in central Hat Yai, Songkhla province, as he was preparing to flee Thailand, marking a rapid breakthrough in a case involving losses exceeding one million baht.

The arrest took place on 31 December 2025 under the direction of Pol Lt Gen Phanumas Boonyalak, Commissioner of the Immigration Bureau. Officers from Songkhla Immigration Police worked jointly with investigators from Lom Kao Police Station and the Phetchabun Provincial Police Investigation Division. The suspect, identified only as “Febby”, was taken into custody without incident and transferred for further legal proceedings.

The case stems from a complaint by a retired civil servant in Phetchabun province who was targeted by a call centre gang. The victim was falsely told they were linked to mule accounts and drug offences, and was instructed to transfer money to multiple accounts. A total of more than 400,000 baht was transferred across 11 accounts, after which the victim was pressured into borrowing an additional 600,000 baht, allegedly as bail money.

The gang later arranged for the victim to hand over cash directly to a man posing as a government official, bringing the total loss to over one million baht. Subsequent investigations traced the cash collection to the Malaysian suspect, who had travelled to Hat Yai and stayed at a local hotel. Authorities secured an arrest warrant from Lom Sak Provincial Court on charges of supporting public fraud and inputting false computer data.

During questioning, the suspect admitted receiving cash from the victim in Phetchabun but claimed he was unaware of the money’s origin or purpose. He stated that he passed the cash to a senior figure in Bangkok and received 1,000 ringgit, or approximately 7,500 baht, as payment. Police also revealed intelligence suggesting he was due to expand his role, including plans to travel to Japan to receive cash.

Daily News reported that investigators believe the network is capable of defrauding victims of multiple nationalities worldwide. The suspect remains in custody and has been handed over to Lom Kao police investigators, while authorities continue to pursue other members of the transnational operation.

Key Takeaways

• A 19-year-old Malaysian was arrested in Hat Yai for allegedly acting as a cash mule for a call centre scam.

• The case involves a retired Thai civil servant who lost over one million baht through transfers and cash handovers.

• Police are expanding the investigation into a wider transnational scam network.

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 Adapted by Asean Now from Dailynews 2026-01-01