Police have dismantled a Chinese criminal group accused of orchestrating a fake kidnapping of a 19-year-old woman to extort ransom money from her father.
Authorities arrested four suspects during the operation, including the woman’s boyfriend, who was already wanted in China for his alleged involvement in an online scam network.
The operation was carried out by officers from the Crime Suppression Division (CSD) and the Immigration Bureau on Wednesday.
The team conducted a search at a rented house located in the Bang Kaeo sub-district of Bang Phli, Samut Prakan province.
Initially, three men and one woman, all identified as Chinese nationals, were charged with illegal entry into the country. CSD Commander Phatthanasak Bupphasuwan confirmed on Thursday that the suspects failed to produce valid passports or identity documents during the raid.
The arrested individuals include You Rongshan, 29; Hu Zhiwei, 26; Hou Xiwen, 26; and a 19-year-old woman identified only as Tong.
Police noted that You was the subject of an active arrest warrant issued by authorities in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, for his role in an online fraud syndicate.
Coordination with Chinese authorities
The investigation was triggered after the father of the 19-year-old filed a report with Chinese police on 31 March.
He claimed to have received ransom demands along with video clips showing his daughter being physically assaulted. The group alleged she had been abducted and moved to Myanmar via Cambodia.
Fearing for his daughter’s safety, the father transferred 110,000 yuan, equivalent to approximately 550,000 baht, to the suspects.
He alerted the authorities after realizing he had been deceived when his daughter was not released following the payment. The case gained significant social media attention in China.
Following a request for assistance from Chinese officials, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Thailand began tracing the origin of the videos.
Digital forensics conducted on Tong’s social media accounts placed her in the Huai Khwang district of Bangkok during the timeframe the videos were recorded.
Confession and deportation plans
Surveillance showed that Tong had stayed at a local hotel between 28 March and 2 April before relocating to the residence in Samut Prakan with a group of companions.
This led investigators to secure a search warrant from the Samut Prakan Provincial Court to raid the premises.
During the subsequent interrogation, You admitted to being the woman’s boyfriend and the mastermind behind the fraudulent kidnapping scheme.
Investigators identified him as the person seen assaulting Tong in the extortion videos. Both You and Tong eventually confessed that the entire ordeal was staged to trick her father into sending money.
The four suspects have been handed over to the Bang Kaeo police station for further legal action.
Authorities indicated that they are currently coordinating with Chinese officials to facilitate the deportation of the suspects once local legal proceedings are concluded.
Two other Chinese nationals present at the house during the police raid were found to have entered Thailand through legal channels.
As they were not linked to the extortion plot, they were not detained by the police.
