Bangkok: Highway police have successfully dismantled a criminal gang involved in defrauding individuals by pawning cars and selling them across borders, accumulating over 100 million baht in stolen assets. Pol. Col. Kongkrit Lertsitthikul, Commander of the Highway Police, announced that the operation, dubbed Operation Highway Gray Market, led to the apprehension of seven suspects. These individuals face charges of public fraud and entering false information into computer systems.
According to Thai News Agency, the suspects were divided into several groups, each playing a distinct role in the operation. Some acted as financiers, purchasing and selling stolen vehicles to individuals in a neighboring country. Others were responsible for transporting the pawned cars, while additional groups managed deceptive online pages to lure victims into the scheme. The police also conducted a search at a parking garage in Kanchanaburi Province, where they seized 23 cars, one motorcycle, and one tractor intended for cross-border sale.
During a press conference, a 36-year-old victim shared her experience with the media. She recounted how financial difficulties led her to a deceptive Facebook page offering motorcycle collateral services. After initial communication, the victim pawned her vehicle for 80,000 baht, only to be tricked into transferring more money and subsequently losing contact with the scammers. Despite the ordeal, the victim expressed gratitude to the police for apprehending the criminals and cautioned others against falling for similar schemes.
Pol. Col. Pakapol Suchon, Superintendent of the Highway Police Division 2, explained that following the victim's complaint, the police traced the suspects' financial transactions, leading to the arrest of the account owner. Although the suspect claimed to be another victim of the gang, authorities expanded their investigation, ultimately identifying the Facebook page operators and the network responsible for transporting stolen vehicles to a warehouse in Kanchanaburi Province.
Subsequent arrests included members of the "pilot gang" involved in car delivery, resulting in the seizure of additional vehicles and firearms. Despite the suspects' denials, the investigation revealed that the gang had been operating for two years, smuggling over a hundred cars domestically and internationally. Authorities continue to investigate potential connections to other Facebook pages and financial links to capitalists in Myanmar and Chinese Gray Market investors.
Pol. Col. Pakapol highlighted possible document forgery in vehicle registrations as part of the gang's methods, with further investigations underway. Additionally, Pol. Col. Boonlue Phadungthin from the Crime Suppression Division noted the demand for luxury and utility vehicles by Chinese gray capital groups in Myanmar, contributing to the illicit car trade. The gang utilized official border crossings and natural routes to smuggle vehicles, often using forged documents.
Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant against such scams and only engage with registered financial entities to avoid becoming victims of similar frauds.