13.02.2025 07:28
Thailand apprehends four European hackers implicated in a $16 million Bitcoin heist targeting Swiss firms.
Thai authorities have apprehended four European individuals suspected of orchestrating a sophisticated ransomware attack against Swiss companies, leading to the pilferage of $16 million worth of Bitcoin. The arrests, made in Phuket on Monday, followed a joint operation by the Cyber Crime and Immigration Police, utilizing information from and in cooperation with global partners.
A significant cybercrime operation, spanning several months, targeted 17 Swiss firms between late April 2023 and late October 2024. The perpetrators, deploying the Phobos ransomware, encrypted crucial company data, holding it hostage until substantial Bitcoin ransoms were paid. This attack impacted a substantial network, affecting over 1000 individuals globally.
Police Commissioner Pol Lt Gen Trairong Phiewphan, in a press briefing, highlighted the collaborative efforts between various Thai law enforcement agencies and international partners. He explicitly stated the suspects were wanted by both the United States and Switzerland. The apprehended individuals face considerable legal jeopardy in both countries due to this extensive criminal activity. Authorities seized a considerable quantity of evidence, including 40 items such as computers, mobile devices, and crypto wallets, in an extensive investigation.
Furthermore, the Swiss Confederation formally requested Thailand's assistance in extraditing these suspects to address the charges in Swiss courts. This recent capture underscores Thailand's burgeoning role in international cybersecurity operations, following a concurrent, significant crackdown on a crypto-driven human trafficking syndicate. This earlier operation resulted in the arrest of two individuals and the confiscation of $2.5 million in USDT.
