BANGKOK: An alleged hacker wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has been arrested by Thai police in Phuket, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) announced on Wednesday (Nov 12).
Pol Lt Gen Surapol Prembutr, commissioner of the CCIB, said the alleged hacker, whose name was not disclosed, was arrested at a hotel in Phuket’s Thalang district on Nov 6. Police also seized a notebook computer, a mobile phone, and a hardware digital wallet for further examination.
Surapol held a press conference to announce the arrest at the Phuket Immigration Office on Wednesday. He said the US citizen was 35 years old, and the FBI had contacted the CCIB earlier to request cooperation in the arrest and extradition of the suspect under the Thai-US extradition treaty.
The FBI alleged that the suspect had breached the security systems of servers belonging to government agencies in the United States and Europe before fleeing to Thailand.
Surapol said immigration records showed that the suspect entered Thailand via Phuket International Airport on Oct 30.
The CCIB then sought cooperation from the Office of the Attorney-General (OAG) to obtain an arrest warrant for the person wanted for extradition under the Extradition Act of BE 2551.
The arrest was jointly carried out by CCIB officers, Phuket police, and immigration police, with FBI representatives observing. FBI representatives also observed when public prosecutors and police took the alleged hacker to the OAG for charging in an extradition case. - The Nation/ANN
