PATTAYA, June 3 – A Russian national was arrested in this eastern resort town Saturday night on charges of predatory lending and illegally working in Thailand.
Police said Ayrat Khabiryanov was a member of the Russian loan shark racket which has been involved in illegally offering loans at extremely high interest rates since last year.
Deputy Interior Minister Chat Kuldilok said Thai police have been hunting for the group after more than 10 Russian money borrowers filed complaints with the authorities last month.
They told police that the group offered Bt5,000-30,000 to a borrower and charged a daily interest of 2 per cent or 60 per cent a month, subject to interest payment every 10 days. The borrowers’ passports were taken as collateral when the loans were given.
Those who failed to pay the loans were assaulted or confined. Some were taken to the Thai authorities to face charges of staying in Thailand without passports.
Police seized a list of 285 money borrowers, all of whom were Russians.
Mr Khabiryanov was responsible for receiving phone calls and keeping accounts of all loans dispersed, police said. (MCOT online news)
