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Over 500 arrested in INTERPOL operation targeting phone, email scams

Xinhua, December 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

More than 500 people have been arrested and 15 call centers shut down in an INTERPOL coordinated operation targeting multi-million-dollar phone and email scams across the Asia Pacific region, INTERPOL announced Thursday in a press release.

"Operation First Light 2015 has been extremely successful in not only in identifying and dismantling the syndicates behind these social engineering frauds, but also in building effective working relationships with our foreign law enforcement colleagues who share a commitment to take action against these crimes," said Duan Daqi, Deputy Director General of International Cooperation Department at China's Ministry of Public Security and Delegate for Asia on INTERPOL's Executive Committee.

"China looks forward to its continued cooperation with INTERPOL and the global law enforcement community in combating all forms of transnational crime," added Duan.

According to the statement, during the operation, investigation teams from the Chinese mainland, South Korea and Hong Kong (China) were deployed to countries and regions where the call centres were based to assist in the identification and repatriation of offenders following their arrest.

Involving 23 countries and regions, Operation First Light 2015 resulted in a series of raids across the region with the largest in Indonesia where police arrested 245 individuals, and in Cambodia where 168 were taken into custody.

Arrests were also made in the Chinese mainland, Hong Kong (China), South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam during the two-month long operation during which more than 30 suspicious call centres were identified. Endit