DSI, AMLO and CIFS join forces in ‘Operation Black Horse Down’ action against Mule Accounts

On Tuesday, Police Major Yutthana Praedam, Deputy Director General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and Acting Director General of DSI, and Police Captain Piya Rakaskul, Deputy Director General of DSI, were tasked Police Captain Thinavudth Silapatdirector of the Foreign Affairs and Transnational Crime Bureau, will lead DSI agents in a joint operation with agents from the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) and the Central Institute of Forensic Science to arrest five suspects: Igidi (surname withheld), a Nigerian nationality; On-Anong (surname withheld), a Thai citizen; Wirot (last name hidden); Araya (surname withheld), a Thai citizen; Kannika (surname withheld), a Thai national, in a condominium on Srinakarin Road, Bangkok. The charge alleges the joint commission of fraud by impersonating someone else, and dishonestly or fraudulently; the joint input of distorted or falsified computer data, in whole or in part, or false computer data, into a computer system, against anyone; and joint money laundering and conspiring to launder money. All suspects are part of a large network led by Igidi and On-Anong, husband and wife. They act as agents and acquire mule accounts from across the country to sell to various criminal organizations including call center gangs, romance scams and money laundering operations, drug traffickers in foreign countries such as Cambodia, Hong Kong, South Korea and South Africa. They are also linked to a West African transnational criminal organization operating in Southeast Asia.

This case began with the Foreign Affairs and Transnational Crime Bureau’s investigation (Special Case No. 95/2566) into several victims who were defrauded by a fraud gang who tricked them into falling in love and then invited them to invest, resulting in losses of more than 50 million baht. The investigation revealed that the accounts where money was received from the victims were mule bills provided by Igidi and On-Anong, key agents in obtaining mule bills and phone SIM cards. They operate in Bangkok and instruct their network in several provinces, both in Bangkok and other provinces, to recruit people to open mule accounts and obtain SIM cards. These are then returned to Igidi and On-Anong for distribution to Nigerian criminal organizations and other networks to defraud victims. Each agent delivers an average of more than 100 mule accounts per month to Igidi and On-Anong. The suspects are linked to more than 1,000 mule accounts with a turnover of more than 1,200 million baht. Currently, the victims defrauded by their gang have suffered losses of more than 50 million baht, and financial tracing shows that there are many more victims among this group.

Subsequently, the Special Investigation Team (Case No. 95/2566) collected evidence and applied for arrest warrants at the Criminal Court for eight individuals from Igidi and On-Anong’s network. Two of them are already in custody on other charges and have a warrant for their arrest. Today (Tuesday, October 8, 2024), the Criminal Court approved search warrants for 5 locations to collect evidence and arrest the remaining 6 suspects under the arrest warrants for the Igidi and On-Anong network. Five suspects have been arrested and one remains at large and will be prosecuted.

The search found 40 bank books used as mule accounts and 2 deposit accounts of On-Anong, with a turnover of more than ten million baht in the recent period; 23 mobile phones; 31 SIM cards; 20 bank cards; 5 tablets; numerous bank statements; clothing that matches the images from ATM cameras during cash withdrawals; 14 brown paper packets containing 14 SIM cards; 5 mailboxes; and a long list of mule accounts. In addition to the arrested suspects, there are many other accomplices, both Thai and foreigners. The DSI will continue to investigate and prosecute the accomplices and work with AMLO to conduct financial investigations and seize related assets from this network.

The Department of Special Investigation warns the public that opening mule accounts for criminals could lead to criminal prosecution under the Emergency Decree on Measures to Prevent and Combat Technological Crimes, BE 2566 (2023), which carries a prison sentence of up to 3 years. , a fine not exceeding 300,000 baht, or both. This is an important issue that is reported every day in various media, so it is not possible to claim ignorance. If the public wishes to file a complaint or report information about criminal offenses, they can contact the DSI via the website www.dsi.go.th, under the banner ‘Complaints, Complaints and Tips’, so that the special investigating officers can do so doing. gather evidence and take action in accordance with the law.