215 foreigners including Thais rescued from Cambodian scam centre

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In: South-East Asia

apparently owned by a senior local state official.

PUBLISHED: 23 Feb 2025 at 14: 33

A Chinese national, who was taken from a scam centre in Myanmar amid a mounting crackdown on scammers operating along a porous border, is escorted by soldiers after getting off a bus at Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge 2 before being repatriated to China by plane, in Mae Sot District, Tak province, Thailand on Feb 20, 2025. (Reuters file photo)
A Chinese nationwide, who was taken from a scam center in Myanmar amid a mounting assault on scammers operating along a porous borders, is escorted by men after getting off a vehicle at Thailand-Myanmar Friendship Bridge 2 before being repatriated to China by planes, in Mae Sot District, Tak state, Thailand on Feb 20, 2025. ( Reuters file photo )

Thai authorities have rescued 215 foreigners, 109 of them Thais, from a scam element in Poipet area following stepped-up collaboration to overcome scam gangs between Thailand and Cambodia. &nbsp,

The procedure followed Friday’s immediate conference between Pol Gen Thatchai Pitaneelaboot, the Royal Thai Police inspector-general, and Thai high-ranking police officers to discuss operating plans to eliminate call centre scam gangs. &nbsp,

On Saturday, Cambodian police raided a three-storey building in Banteay Meanchey province, opposite Sa Kaeo’s Aranyaprathet district, on a tip-off that Chinese scammers were renting the building to operate online scams and gambling businesses.

According to government spokesman Jirayu Huangsub, who spoke to the country on Sunday, Thai nationals were among those who were duped into working for the gang in this building according to intelligence reports from Thai authorities. &nbsp,

The land and building reportedy belong to a high-ranking government official in&nbsp, Banteay Meanchey province.

The 215 foreign nationals include 109 Thais ( 54 of them women ), 50 Pakistanis, 48 Indians, five Taiwanese and three Indonesians. Police in Cambodia are questioning them and keeping track of their personal information. &nbsp, &nbsp, &nbsp,

The 109 Thais would be subjected to a screening procedure, according to Mr. Jirayu, to determine whether they had been victims or compliciters. &nbsp, &nbsp,

The crackdown operation will continue, according to security intelligence sources, and Saturday’s operation was the largest number of victims saved from a scam compound for both Thailand and Cambodia. &nbsp, &nbsp,

Between 20 and 22 February, a total of 621 Chinese nationals who were trafficked into Myanmar to work for scam gangs were rescued and brought back to China from Mae Sot airport in Tak province.