BANGKOK, Thailand – The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has dismantled a major criminal syndicate involved in online vehicle fraud and cross-border smuggling to Myanmar. Police Lieutenant General Natthasak Chaowanasai, CIB Commissioner, announced the results of the operation on October 10, 2025, revealing that the group forged license plates and exported stolen vehicles through Kanchanaburi Province.
The case began on July 2, when a victim in Chon Buri reported being deceived after pawning a grey Ford Ranger via a Facebook page. The vehicle was later found to have been re-registered and smuggled into Myanmar. Investigations uncovered a large, well-organized network using online platforms to collect vehicles and fulfill orders from financiers across the border.
Police found that the syndicate mainly targeted pickup trucks and SUVs, favored by scammer networks operating in remote areas of Myanmar. Members were assigned specific roles — including financiers, online page operators, vehicle recruiters, hired drivers, and transporters responsible for delivering vehicles across the border.
Authorities have issued 12 arrest warrants and arrested 11 suspects on charges including public fraud, false data entry, smuggling unregistered goods, and conspiracy. Meanwhile, Highway Police Division 3 uncovered a connected operation in which rented cars were resold abroad, linked to the same network and foreign financier.
Two suspects were later arrested after renting vehicles in Udon Thani and transporting them outside permitted areas. They admitted to working under a Thai intermediary for about a year, delivering over 50 vehicles for smuggling. Police have since identified two brokers sourcing vehicles for a foreign financier, issuing five additional warrants—with two suspects arrested and three still at large as investigations continue. (NNT)
