Police broke up an alleged Chinese loan-sharking ring based in Pattaya that preyed on Hong Kong residents.
Deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Chalermkiat Srivorakhan used a June 19 news conference to announce the capture of nine suspects. The nine were apprehended in raids of three homes in Pattaya, Nongprue and Banglamung.
Officers seized 15 computers, 38 telephones, documents, Wi-Fi routers, and automatic money-transferring machines.
Chalermkiat said the loan sharks would send messages via the WhatsApp mobile app to Chinese nationals in Hong Kong and offer them loans at 30 percent-per-month interest rates. Most victims borrowed between 4,000 and 20,000 baht, he added.
The nine were charged with financial and computer crimes as well as working without a work permit.
