Ransomware gang busted in Phuket! Four European hackers arrested after netting ฿560M by locking devices worldwide. Thai police, with Swiss and US help, dismantled a vast cybercrime empire in dramatic raids. Over 1,000 victims paid millions to regain access to their data.
Morning raids in Phuket on Monday crushed an international gang of pirate hackers targeting victims around the world. At length, police with the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), led by Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwpan, revealed that no fewer than 1,000 victims had paid the four Europeans over ฿560 million to decrypt data on infected devices and servers. The arrests came as part of a coordinated police operation, with TCSD, the Immigration Bureau, and Region 8 police taking part.
Thailand’s Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) moved decisively on Monday against a group of ransomware hackers using Phuket as a base.
The operation against the pirate gang was carried out under an operation identified as PHOBOS AETOR.
Significantly, it also involved officers from the Immigration Bureau in Phuket, as well as Region 8 police officers. Four men, all foreigners, were apprehended at four separate locations across Phuket.
The identity of the suspects has yet to be revealed. The first raid occurred in the Chalong area of central Phuket.
Police raid multiple locations in Phuket as ransomware gang linked to Swiss and US cybercrimes is dismantled
Afterwards, the task force raided a one-room apartment in the Si Sunthon area of Thalang. Similarly, a property was searched in the Talat Yai subdistrict in Phuket. Finally, a fourth location in central Phuket saw police marching through the doors.
A media briefing on the raids was given by Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwpan. He explained that the four men were particularly wanted by both Swiss and American authorities. In particular, they were responsible for attacks on 17 companies in Switzerland from April 2023 to October 2024.
Further investigations of the pirate gang, who were using Phuket as a base, revealed more extensive exploits. Certainly, police believe the four men arrested on Monday are responsible for extorting ransoms from no fewer than 1,000 victims. The gang managed to net $15.6 million or ฿560 million from these criminal exploits.
In short, this was a very dangerous transnational criminal enterprise.
Phobos ransomware used to encrypt and steal data as criminals demanded cryptocurrency payments
The four men used the Phobos ransomware virus to extort money from crippled firms. This virus is often transmitted through fake sites or email.
Once it takes hold of, for instance, a Microsoft computer or server, it encrypts all available files, appending “.phobos” at the end of each item. It then links to files in an online HTML message which appears when users try to open the data. Crucially, in this message, the victims are ordered to pay to have the data decrypted.
The money was demanded in cryptocurrency. Furthermore, victims who delayed responding were subsequently made to pay more to the criminal extortionists. In addition, the gang copied the data from the infected devices and servers. Afterwards, they sold the data on dark markets worldwide.
European nationals arrested in Phuket as police work with Swiss and US authorities to examine seized devices
On Monday, police sources indicated that all four people arrested were European nationals.
Police Lieutenant General Trairong explained that police computer experts were thoroughly examining the data and information on all devices seized from the group.
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In total, there were 40 different devices including laptops, smartphones, and computers.
At the same time, Thai police are liaising with counterparts in the United States and Switzerland. Importantly, the names of the international hackers are being withheld at this time.
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Further reading:
Phuket Police Chief warns criminals to give island a miss as four tourists are nabbed for extortion
Russian mafia gang extort young Russian couple out of $50k at a local coffee shop on Ko Samui
