Royal Thai Police reports successful weeklong operation targeting illegal migrants and criminal networks, with majority of arrests from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. Notable cases include a call center gang with explosives and drugs, and the dismantling of a Chinese passport forgery operation in Surin province.

BANGKOK, February 26, 2025 - The Royal Thai Police spokesperson has announced the results of a major nationwide crackdown on transnational crime and illegal immigration conducted between February 18-24, 2025. The operation, directed by the National Police Chief through the Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration Suppression Center, resulted in 9,532 arrests across Thailand.

According to the official report, the arrests included 207 individuals with outstanding warrants, 6,239 for illegal entry, 875 for overstaying visas, 120 for permit revocations, 463 for illegal employment, and 1,628 for other offenses. Among those arrested were 564 Thai nationals, 4,879 Myanmar nationals, 1,699 Laotians, 1,376 Cambodians, 103 Vietnamese, and 911 from other nationalities.

The spokesperson highlighted several significant cases, including the interception of a call center gang found with hand grenades, over 1 kilogram of ketamine, and various other illegal substances. This joint operation involved Immigration Police, Central Investigation Bureau, and Tourist Police, resulting in the arrest of four suspects from Thailand, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Investigations revealed that the Taiwanese suspect was wanted on five charges in Taiwan, while the two Filipino nationals are believed to have been deceived into working for a call center scam operation in Myanmar. Officials are now working with the Singburi Provincial Social Development and Human Security Office to screen for human trafficking indicators following the National Referral Mechanism (NRM) protocol.

In another significant case, Immigration Police collaborated with Surin Provincial Police to rescue a Chinese national who reported being smuggled along with five other Chinese citizens. The victim managed to escape by jumping from a pickup truck near the border. Further investigation led authorities to raid rental properties and commercial buildings in Surin Province suspected of harboring illegal immigrants and producing counterfeit Chinese passports. This operation resulted in 13 arrests, with authorities pursuing legal action against the entire network while continuing their investigation.

The Royal Thai Police spokesperson emphasized that the National Police Chief has instructed the Transnational Crime and Illegal Immigration Suppression Center to maintain strict enforcement through investigation, prevention, and suppression of offenders. The center remains ready to maintain public order in accordance with government and Royal Thai Police policies.