BANGKOK, THAILAND – Immigration Bureau officers arrested Wu, accused of embezzling $7 million in China, during an undercover operation on Ratchaphruek Road.
Undercover surveillance and arrest
On 12 November, officers under the Thai Immigration Bureau deployed undercover agents posing as security staff along Ratchaphruek Road after neighbors reported unusual isolation at a private villa. Investigators confirmed the suspect, Wu, had not left the residence for several days. Agents observed his movements continuously for one week before taking action.
Police recorded that a white Volvo sedan arrived to collect Wu for his first known trip beyond the villa during the surveillance period. Officers from the Immigration Bureau tracked the vehicle until a late-night checkpoint was established near 2 a.m. on 13 November.
False passport and detention
At that checkpoint, an Immigration Bureau team halted the vehicle and requested identification from the passenger. Wu presented a Vanuatu passport, though his Thai residence permit had expired earlier in the year. The Immigration Bureau detained him on charges of visa violation and suspected possession of falsified documents.
“I am a Vanuatu citizen, not Chinese,”
said Wu, detainee.
Verification via Interpol communication channels confirmed Wu was wanted in Chaozhou, China, for corporate embezzlement. The immigration report linked him to long-term international fraud activity.
$7 million fraud in China
Investigators stated that Wu, formerly sales director for a luxury real estate firm, allegedly convinced 48 property buyers to deposit approximately $7 million (255 million baht) into his personal account before fleeing China. Wu later purchased Vanuatu citizenship, which allowed him to travel without immediate detection.
After entering Thailand, Wu used unknown funds to purchase a high-end villa in Thon Buri worth tens of millions of baht and a white Volvo used during his arrest. Authorities from the Immigration Bureau seized both properties while financial investigators assessed whether further confiscation procedures were warranted.
“We are checking whether he had accomplices,”
said Immigration Police Investigator.
International coordination and extradition
Officials confirmed Wu remained in custody at the Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre as Thai and Chinese legal teams coordinated potential extradition proceedings. Judicial authorities cautioned that a lengthy prison sentence could follow conviction in China.
“Thailand is not a hiding place for international criminals,”
said Spokesperson, Thai Immigration Police.
The Immigration Bureau added that the operation closed a seven-year international manhunt, placing Wu among the most significant foreign fugitives captured in Thailand in 2024.
Key facts released by the Immigration Bureau
– Date of arrest: 13 November at 02:00 a.m.
– Location: Ratchaphruek Road, Thon Buri District, Bangkok
– Money defrauded: Approx. $7 million (255 million baht)
– Victims: 48 property buyers in Chaozhou, China
– Primary evidence seized: Vanuatu passport, expired Thai residence permit, white Volvo sedan, luxury villa
– Pending actions: Financial audit, extradition coordination, accomplice identification
Investigators reiterated that Thailand’s Immigration Bureau will intensify joint operations with international agencies to track foreign suspects using falsified travel documents within the country.