A foreign gang is being hunted by police after allegedly extorting cryptocurrency worth three million USD from a Russian couple in Thailand.

The group of six - composed of a German, a Russian, two Kazakhstani men, and two other foreigners of unclear nationality - had reportedly approached the tourists Evgenii and Ekaterna Abduliin, both 31, at a cafe on Koh Samui in Surat Thani province on September 15.

The thugs then allegedly intimidated the pair into paying them three million USD.

Evgenii said: ‘They cornered me at a coffee shop. Then a German man, Salman Almaty, tried befriending me claiming to have met me in Russia.'

After a few friendly exchanges, Salman then allegedly threatened Evgenii and asked him to transfer cryptocurrency worth three million USD.

Fearing physical harm, the alleged victim agreed but transferred only 58,000 USD which was all he had in cryptocurrency at the time.

Evgenii said: 'After the transfer was successful, I saw four members returning to the black van while Salman and another man rode away on a motorbike. Salman even left me his phone number, saying he'd come back and take more from me.'

The gang later returned to stalk Evegenii and his wife while they were having lunch outside the following day, prompting them to hurry back home.

Two days later, the terrified businessman said he received a message on his phone asking for more crypto deposits.

He said: 'They told me if I can find more money, I should transfer it immediately, and if I didn't, I should convert my cash into crypto and send it to them via ByBit. I didn't do it because I didn't have enough money.'

Out of options, Evgenii opted to seek help from the police instead.

The investigating officer, Colonel Pongkajorn Sukksang of the Samui Police, said he has ordered an investigation into the alleged extortion, with officers gathering video evidence from the coffee shop and the surrounding area.

He said: 'Surveillance camera footage shows the van and the motorcycle as identified by the victim. We are now tracking down the foreign men so they can be questioned.'

Evgenii, who runs a real estate business and has been staying on Koh Samui with his wife for five years, claimed he had no prior dealings with the gang. The couple reportedly fly in and out of Thailand regularly for holidays.

Authorities said two of the group - the German and one of the Kazakhstani men - had left Thailand on September 17 and 20 respectively. The remaining members are still being tracked down.