Surat thani: The Royal Thai Police, in collaboration with the Department of Provincial Administration, launched "Operation Shadow 2," dismantling a foreign labor laundering ring using falsified registration numbers. 27 individuals were arrested, including government officials. Police General Samran Nualma, Deputy Commissioner General of the Royal Thai Police, along with Police Lieutenant General Nophasil Phoolsawat, Commander of the Office of the Commissioner General, led a combined police force with the DOPA NICE task force, the Department of Provincial Administration, and other relevant agencies in launching "Operation End the Shadow 2" in Surat Thani Province. The operation aimed to crack down on the illegal trafficking of migrant workers who were using fraudulent identity cards for those without registered status, or "Registration 0."
According to Thai News Agency, this operation is an extension of the "Shadows of Intrigue" case that took place on July 4th in Don Sak District, Surat Thani Province. Following additional intelligence and investigations at the registration offices in Kanchanadit and Koh Samui districts, authorities discovered irregularities linking a network to this scheme. They found that several foreign nationals, already possessing Myanmar passports or registered as migrant workers, had been assigned a "0 registration," a form used for individuals without registered status and with no prior record in the civil registry.
Officials also found connections between brokers, landlords, witnesses, and registration officers who are allegedly assisting Myanmar workers in obtaining illegal registration status, a practice bordering on a 'labor laundering' scheme. This involves changing the status of migrant workers into the civil registration system, which could lead to access to various rights and future nationality verification processes.
Police gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants from the court for 33 people involved. 27 have already been arrested, including 3 government officials, 9 homeowners/witnesses, and 15 foreign workers. Authorities are currently tracking down those still at large and are preparing to expand the investigation to include brokers, government officials, and all other involved parties.
Citizens can report identity theft, bribery for registration procedures, or the use of suspiciously obtained identification documents to any police station nationwide or via the 24-hour hotline 1599.