A luxury pool villa in Pattaya, Thailand, was raided by Thai police on June 21 following a tip-off from the South Korean Embassy about a possible kidnapping. The operation led to the arrest of 21 suspects — 20 South Koreans and one Chinese national — believed to be part of an illegal loan shark and call center scam ring.
Over 50 officers, under the command of Tourist Police Superintendent Colonel Songwut Chueaplakit, carried out the raid on a villa in Na Kluea, located in Bang Lamung District. During the operation, police retrieved dozens of electronic devices and safely recovered a South Korean man who was reportedly being held against his will.
The operation was initiated after the South Korean Embassy in Thailand urgently alerted authorities about a South Korean national possibly being detained at the villa. Upon reaching the site, officers discovered a two-storey home outfitted with surveillance cameras. As police entered the property, nearly 20 foreign nationals inside scrambled to escape, creating a scene of confusion and panic.
One suspect, later identified as 30-year-old Jae Jo Yong-jae, jumped from the second floor in a panic. He suffered critical injuries from the fall and was taken to the hospital by emergency responders. Other individuals tried to escape through the back of the building but were eventually captured.
Police detained 21 people at the site and seized over 30 computers, numerous laptops, and around 40 mobile phones believed to be used in illegal operations. Forensic teams collected fingerprints and DNA samples from the devices for further investigation. The group is suspected of running an online loan sharking scheme targeting victims in South Korea.
Tourist Police Lieutenant Colonel Torlap Tinamat stated that although the initial operation aimed to rescue a kidnapped individual, the officers quickly realized the situation involved a larger criminal network. The alleged victim was found unharmed and was reportedly working with the group, contradicting earlier claims of abduction. Authorities have informed the South Korean Embassy to update the victim’s family.
Investigators also discovered a whiteboard inside the villa with Korean messages advertising investment scams. Police suspect the group may be connected to a broader fraud operation involving romance scams, where people are tricked into online relationships and convinced to send money. The Pattaya villa is believed to have served as a base for these internet-based schemes.
Authorities are now preparing to file charges under Thailand’s “secret society” laws, which target individuals involved in groups with illegal objectives. Investigators will also check the suspects’ visa statuses, and those found to have overstayed may face further legal action. All confiscated devices will be examined to assess their role in criminal activities, according to Colonel Songwut Chueaplakij, chief of the Tourist Police Division 2.
