UDON THANI: Police raided a rental room in the center of Udon Thani city, discovering a hidden cache of SIM boxes linked to an international call center network. Authorities revealed that if fully operational, the equipment could enable up to 105,000 fraudulent calls per day.
According to Thai News Agency, the raid was conducted by Udon Thani police following a tip-off about a call center gang that had been infiltrating the province, causing significant harm to people nationwide. During the operation, six GSM Gateway or SIM BOX devices were confiscated.
The raid follows the arrest of a 41-year-old Taiwanese woman, who was detained under an arrest warrant issued by the Udon Thani Provincial Court. She had traveled from Taiwan and was apprehended while attempting to flee to Cambodia. The woman, identified as the renter of the room, was captured at Suvarnabhumi Airport. Meanwhile, a 27-year-old Taiwanese man, also wanted by the court and identified as a programmer, reportedly entered Thailand via the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge in Nong Khai Province before fleeing to a third country.
Pol. Lt. Col. Akkapol Wongritthiwal, Deputy Superintendent of Investigation at the Udon Thani Provincial Police, explained that the suspects planned to install the SIM BOX devices to reroute international calls into Thailand. This technology would allow the gang to make up to 25,000 deceptive calls per day per device, converting them into Thai numbers. If all six devices were operational, they could facilitate up to 105,000 fraudulent calls daily.
The SIM boxes are believed to have been imported illegally from abroad, each valued at 100,000 baht. The suspects face charges of operating without the necessary licenses, including trading in radio communication equipment and establishing a radio communication station unlawfully.
Further investigation revealed that both suspects have prior arrest warrants for fraud and money laundering. Authorities urge property owners to report any suspicious activities, particularly involving foreign tenants, to prevent potential legal consequences under the Immigration Act.