16 Chinese nationals arrested in Pattaya
published : 6 Oct 2022 at 09:09
writer: Gary Boyle
ORIGINAL SOURCE/WRITER: Chaiyot Pupattanapong
Sixteen Chinese nationals suspected of running an illegal online money-lending business were arrested during a police raid in Pattaya on Wednesday.
Police and immigration officers raided a townhouse in Bang Lamung district on Wednesday following information that a gang of foreign nationals had been using the house as a base to provide illegal online money-lending services to clients in Hong Kong.
Police found 16 Chinese nationals working inside the townhouse. Desktop computers, a computer notebook, a copier machine, 20 mobile phones and numerous documents connected with illegal money-lending services were seized.
Police said the foreign money-lending gang had entered Thailand six months ago and kept changing accommodation to avoid being arrested.
The 16 Chinese nationals had entered the country on tourist visas. They provided illegal money-lending services to clients in Hong Kong and charged interest rates as high as 50%. There were hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars in monthly circulation from many customers.
The suspects were held at Pattaya police station and would be handed over to Hong Kong authorities.
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Vocabulary
- arrested: caught by the police and taken to a police station because you are believed to have committed a crime - ถูกจับกุม
- authority (noun): a person or government agency who has the power to make decisions or enforce the law - เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
- circulation: the passing of money from one person to another - การหมุนเวียนของเงินสด, กระแสเงิน
- client: a customer or someone who receives services - ลูกค้า
- gang (noun): a group of criminals who work together; a group of young people who spend time together causing trouble - แก๊ง, กลุ่มโจร
- interest: the money that a bank or other financial company charges you when you borrow money, or the money it pays you when you keep money in an account - ดอกเบี้ย
- lending: giving money to someone who agrees to pay it back in the future - การให้ยืม
- national: a citizen of a particular country - ประชาชน
- seize: to take something using official power and force - จับกุม
- suspect: a person who is thought to have committed a crime - ผู้ต้องสงสัย
