The police's "Bridge Bombing" operation, targeting call center networks and SIM card suppliers used in scams, continued with raids on 20 suppliers of SIM cards and SimBoxes.
This operation aims to disrupt criminal activities by targeting phone signals, internet access, SIM suppliers, mule accounts, and social media platforms. On Wednesday, authorities arrested two suspects, including a Chinese national, linked to a call center syndicate involved in a series of online fraud schemes. The raids resulted in the seizure of 100 SimBoxes, mobile phones, and over 20,000 registered SIM cards.
From October 1 to 10, the Police Cyber Taskforce coordinated a nationwide effort to inspect SIM card vending kiosks run by small retailers. A total of 647 kiosks were identified as having registered SIM cards for criminal activities. This initiative aimed to gather evidence, issue arrest warrants, and prosecute those complicit in registering SIM cards for illicit use.
The investigation led to charges against more than 20 stores and the collection of significant evidence, including 101,068 Thai SIM cards, 113 SimBox devices, 575 mobile phones, 23 computers, and various identification documents like ID cards and passports. This evidence will be crucial in pursuing arrests.
During the inspections, two critical issues in the SIM registration process were identified:
- Criminals still hold significant numbers of SIM cards registered before the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) limited ownership to five SIM cards per person.
- Online SIM registration systems inadequately detect fraudulent registrations, such as incorrect images or text entries instead of legitimate names. The cyber police plan to urgently address these issues with the NBTC and service providers.
Going forward, the cyber police will track phone numbers used in scams, as reported in the Thaipoliceonline system, to identify the SIM kiosks responsible for registering these numbers for call center gangs and take decisive legal action.
The cyber police emphasize that without these SIM kiosks or the involvement of complicit individuals, criminals operating from neighboring countries will face significant challenges. They warn SIM card retailers and anyone involved in registering SIMs for call center gangs—foreign criminals supported by Thai accomplices stealing and transferring assets abroad.
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