PATTAYA, Thailand – A 33-year-old South Korean man has been arrested at Suvarnabhumi Airport on charges of laundering cryptocurrency into gold bars for a call center scam syndicate, according to the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD).
Police identified the suspect as Mr. Han, wanted under an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court (No. 822/2568, dated February 6, 2025). He faces multiple charges, including fraud, impersonation, computer crime involving false data, conspiracy to launder money, money laundering, and participation in a criminal association.
The arrest follows a February operation in which officers raided 20 locations across eight provinces, detaining 10 suspects involved in money laundering for call center gangs. Mr. Han was described by investigators as a key figure in the network.
Authorities said the suspect arrived in Thailand from South Korea when he was taken into custody. Officers seized a mobile phone containing access to several cryptocurrency wallets and other evidence linked to money laundering activities.
During questioning, Mr. Han denied some allegations but admitted to working in South Korea for a company that converted digital currencies into gold bars on behalf of the syndicate. Police said each transaction involved no less than 10 kilograms of gold, worth approximately 33 million baht.
An examination of the suspect’s cryptocurrency accounts showed transactions between January and March 2024 amounting to 47.3 million USDT, or about 1.65 billion baht. He has been transferred to TCSD investigators for further legal proceedings.
