The coordinated raids were carried out at about 7am today (July 8) by officers from the Phuket Provincial Police Investigation Division, Phuket Immigration and the Tourist Police following an investigation into large cash withdrawals from ATMs across the island.
Police said the operation followed intelligence from Thailand’s Anti-Online Scam Centre (AOC), which identified a group of Russian nationals allegedly withdrawing money connected to mule bank accounts used to receive funds from victims of online fraud.
Investigators said the group had repeatedly withdrawn cash from ATMs in Phuket between April and June this year in an apparent attempt to disguise the money trail from multiple technology crime cases.
Search warrants and arrest warrants were obtained from Phuket Provincial Court before officers searched three properties.
At the first location, in Wichit, police arrested 26-year-old Russian national Ilia Kutaisov under a court-issued warrant. Officers seized B638,700 in cash along with other evidence before handing him over to Wichit Police for legal proceedings.
At the second property, in Chalong, officers found another Russian national, Egor Stelmakh, who police said remains under investigation for alleged links to the network.
Police seized B4,594,420 in Thai currency and US$6,271 (about B206,943), bringing the total cash recovered at the property to about B4.8 million.
Immigration officers have also begun proceedings to revoke Stelmakh’s permission to remain in Thailand.
A third search, at a property in Cherng Talay, did not locate the target individual, although investigators said evidence was collected as the investigation continues.
In total, officers searched three locations, arrested one suspect on an outstanding warrant, detained one foreign national under immigration procedures and seized about B5.44 million in cash.
Police said investigators are continuing to trace the financial transactions, identify additional members of the network and determine links to mule accounts and online fraud cases across Thailand.
Authorities believe there may be additional victims who have not yet realised they have been defrauded or have not reported the crimes.
Phuket Provincial Police said the operation forms part of a nationwide crackdown on technology crime, mule accounts and transnational criminal networks operating in Thailand. Investigators said they will continue pursuing those responsible regardless of nationality.