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.
