Phrae: Cyber police raided locations in two provinces, arresting young hackers who stole data from the Ministry of Transportation and Local Administration and sold it on the dark web. They are now working to dismantle the entire network.
According to Thai News Agency, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) raided target residences in Phrae and Pathum Thani provinces after tracing online activity that led to the arrest of a juvenile suspect and the seizure of crucial cybercrime evidence. The case involves the illegal use of personal data from the Department of Land Transport and the Department of Provincial Administration databases, which was then advertised for sale on the dark web, Telegram, and Discord. Authorities are now working to expand the investigation to apprehend all those involved in the scheme.
The case stems from Mr. Pachara Anantasilsin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society, who instructed a representative to file a complaint with Pol. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, to expedite the apprehension of the perpetrators after discovering a leak of personal information. An in-depth investigation by a team led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Tinkorn Rangmat, Deputy Commander of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, revealed suspicious IP addresses accessing the e-Service system through hacked user accounts with access rights belonging to three agencies: Bangkok Noi District Municipality, the Expressway Authority of Thailand, and the Surasri Task Force. Personal information, including that of important individuals, was then extracted and posted online as samples to verify the authenticity of the data before transactions were conducted.
Following the incident, the Ministry of Transport ordered the temporary suspension of services for the three agencies involved and coordinated with all agencies connecting to the e-Service system to immediately reset all passwords to prevent further damage. Meanwhile, cyber police officers gathered evidence leading to a search warrant from the Criminal Court, which they used to search residences in Phrae and Pathum Thani provinces. There, they apprehended the juvenile perpetrators and seized crucial evidence. Authorities will now analyze the seized IT equipment to identify those involved and those behind the attack.