Immigration police arrest Pakistani salesman in crackdown on herbal scam network in Thai 'Sin City' Pattaya
Immigration police have arrested a Pakistani salesman in a crackdown on an herbal scam network in Thailand.
Muhammad Ibrahim, 37, allegedly duped tourists into buying overpriced weight loss and hair growth products in 'Sin City' Pattaya.
He claimed the 'magic' goods would rapidly burn belly fat or stimulate hair growth in just a few weeks. But they were simply off-the-shelf products repackaged in plain bottles - with vastly inflated prices.
Police launched a sting on June 23, following numerous reports from holidaymakers about the herbal scam racket.
Investigators said the group had recently expanded its operation by opening a new outlet inside Runway Market on Pattaya Second Road, one of the city's busiest tourist areas.
Officers conducting surveillance reportedly spotted Pakistani men approaching overweight and balding tourists on the street and attempting to lure them towards the shop.
Muhammad later arrived in a taxi before the police raided the premises and arrested him.
Authorities said he confessed to acting as a salesman for the business, earning a 20 per cent commission from product sales.
Two Thai women were also found working as staff and claiming Ibrahim had only visited to exchange money. But they reportedly admitted their involvement when confronted with video evidence.
Authorities found Muhammad was staying in Thailand on a 90-day non-immigrant visa and was employed by a company in Bangkok.
He was initially charged with working outside the scope of his permitted employment before being handed over to Pattaya City Police Station for further legal proceedings.
The arrest comes days after six Pakistani nationals were also arrested on similar offences.
Police Lieutenant Colonel Kittiphat Hongchuvech of Chonburi Immigration previously said they had received many complaints about herbal scams in the resort town.
He said: 'These Pakistani nationals operate like freelancers and are not bound to a single shop; they likely work for multiple establishments.
'We estimate there are about ten locations in Pattaya selling herbs in this manner. The shops themselves have not committed an offense, but these individuals have made deals with them to bring in customers in exchange for a share of the sales revenue. However, we do not have specific details regarding the percentages because the shops refuse to provide information.'
The officer said that it was difficult to conduct raids on suspected scam shops as police needed 'crystal-clear' evidence to obtain a warrant.
He added: 'We believe the primary issue also stems from legal loopholes, as it falls into a grey area. The Public Health Act does not specify that raw herbal materials—such as dried leaves, dried twigs, honey, or unprocessed items—require a license.
'Consequently, the products they sell are not illegal; they are classified as general goods rather than medicines or prohibited substances, functioning similarly to plant products, agricultural goods, or regular coffee.
'However, these Pakistani nationals walk along the beach, making false claims that they possess special remedies capable of curing various conditions. Once victims fall for it, they are led to the shop where the therapeutic properties are pitched and the items are sold at exorbitant prices.'
The suspects allegedly worked by gaining tourists' trust, escorting them into shops, then demanding large sums for products while making exaggerated claims about their benefits.
In many previous cases, disputes reportedly ended with partial refunds negotiated between the parties rather than criminal prosecutions, allowing the businesses to continue operating.
Many tourists reportedly accepted partial refunds because they did not want to spend time pursuing legal action.
On March 19, British tourist Malcolm Campbell, 63, from Staffordshire, was allegedly conned into paying 41,000 baht for herbal weight-loss products after being approached by two Arabic men in Pattaya.
Police later tracked down the suspects and arranged a full refund after Campbell's Thai girlfriend recognised the scheme and reported it to Pattaya City Police Station.
While on June 3, Indian tourist Mohammad Safeer, 30, was duped out of his holiday spending money after being lured into the Thai Organic World shop in Pattaya and charged 12,160 baht for purported 'miracle' weight-loss herbs.
