Authorities in Thailand have arrested a group of eighteen Vietnamese nationals during a raid on a luxury property in Bangkok for allegedly conducting illicit online gambling activities.
The Chief of the local Immigration Bureau (IB), Pol Lt Gen Ittiphol Itthisarnronchai, revealed that immigration authorities conducted a search of the premises situated in the Rama IX area of Bangkok, suspecting it to serve as a hub for foreign individuals engaged in online gambling. The raid culminated in the discovery of ten men and eight women within the property. The individuals now face charges related to orchestrating online gambling operations and enticing others to partake in gambling activities.
The raid yielded the confiscation of 35 items, including computers and related equipment utilized in the facilitation of online gambling endeavors.
IB investigators acted upon a tip-off that a group of foreign nationals resided within the premises and exhibited suspicious behavior. Subsequent surveillance efforts confirmed the suspicions, identifying the occupants as Vietnamese nationals engaged in online gambling activities. Following due process, approval was obtained from the Phra Khanong Criminal Court to conduct a search of the two-story domicile.
During the raid, officers found that the property had been turned into a operational hub for online gambling activities, complete with living quarters and work spaces for the people involved. Footage from security cameras depicted the eighteen Vietnamese nationals taking shifts operating computers connected to gambling websites.
During interrogations, the suspects admitted to their roles as administrators of online gambling platforms operating incessantly. They disclosed that the mastermind behind the operation was a fellow Vietnamese national, and each individual received a monthly stipend of THB20,000 ($560), supplemented by commissions based on the volume of wagers they enticed gamblers to place.
It was revealed that the residence had been leased since November of the preceding year, with the explicit purpose of serving as a headquarters for online gambling operations. Subsequently, all detainees were remanded to the custody of officers at the Hua Mak police station to initiate legal proceedings.
