Bangkok: Central Investigation Police have dismantled the notorious Gongju gang, known for deceiving Thai citizens into seeking employment abroad, by conducting raids across five locations and uncovering damages exceeding 10 million baht.
According to Thai News Agency, the Anti-Human Trafficking Division successfully apprehended members of the Gongju gang, responsible for luring Thai nationals with false promises of overseas employment. Authorities identified 13 primary victims, with property damages totaling 3,197,680 baht, and revealed that numerous other individuals fell prey to the scheme, resulting in nearly 10 million baht in losses. The coordinated operation led to the arrest of eight suspects in Pathum Thani, Samut Sakhon, and Bangkok, and the confiscation of 11 items of property, including cars and fraudulent documents.
The gang’s activities spanned from December 2013 to July 2014, during which they orchestrated a meticulously planned operation. The first group of suspects registered a front compa
ny, masquerading as an employment agency to facilitate overseas work. The second group targeted the public, falsely claiming to secure visas and employment opportunities in New Zealand, citing non-existent quotas for jobs in agriculture, interior design, and bakery factories. Meetings to further the deception were held at the suspects’ residences in Bangkok and commercial buildings on Sukhumvit Soi 13, where victims were summoned for paperwork under the guise of legitimacy.
The gang utilized social media, notably LINE groups, to enhance their credibility. They crafted narratives, portraying themselves as successful job brokers for countries like New Zealand and Korea. Accomplices, posing as satisfied workers, shared images of themselves engaged in various occupations, enticing hundreds of victims to believe in the gang’s fraudulent claims. The deception targeted both those who never secured employment and those who traveled abroad only to find no wages awaiting them.
Investigations revealed that 450 Thai na
tionals fell victim to the scam, each paying 5,000 baht for fictitious visa application services. Legal charges against the suspects include deceiving individuals into believing they could secure employment or internships abroad, acquiring money and property through fraudulent claims, and engaging in money laundering activities.