Tawitchat said the suspects allegedly pretended to be police officers and threatened their victims with drug charges unless they wired them money.

The four suspects – Chinese nationals Chen Meihang and Pan Yao, and Thais Chenisa Wongfu and Kanjaree Wattanawinin – allegedly duped 13 victims from the Police Region 6 jurisdiction area of Bt19.8 million earlier this year, Tawitchat said.

In order to convince their victims, the gang reportedly adjusted their own phone equipment to show the Police Region 6 number in the caller ID display.

There was a breakthrough in the investigation when some victims in Phichit identified Chenisa and Kanjaree as the holders of the bank accounts that received the wired money. This resulted in the arrests of the two women, who said they were hired to open the accounts for the gang.

Tawitchat said police identified the two Chinese suspects from ATM camera footage. Police were continuing their investigations and hoped to make other arrests, including more accomplices in Thailand and, especially, the gang leader in China, he added.