Thai police have arrested 18 Vietnamese nationals on suspicion of running illegal online gambling operations during a raid on a luxury home in Bangkok.
Pol Lt Gen Ittiphol Itthisarnronchai, director of the local Immigration Department, revealed that immigration authorities conducted a search at the premises in the Rama IX area of Bangkok, suspecting that it was a center for foreign personnel engaged in online gambling.
During the search, 10 men and eight women were found at the property. They were charged in relation to operating an online gambling operation and enticing others to participate in gambling activities.
Investigators seized 35 items during the investigation, including computers and other equipment used to support online gambling.
IB investigators acted following reports that a group of foreigners were living on the premises and exhibiting suspicious behavior. Subsequent surveillance confirmed these suspicions, identifying the occupants as Vietnamese citizens engaged in online gambling activities. After due process, approval was obtained from the Phra Khanong Criminal Court to conduct a search of the two-storey residence.
During the raid, police found that the property had been turned into an operating centre for online gambling activities, with living quarters and workspaces for those involved. Footage from security cameras showed the 18 Vietnamese nationals working in shifts operating computers connected to the gambling sites.
The defendants admitted during interrogation that they operated functional online gambling sites. They said the scheme was masterminded by a fellow Vietnamese who offered each participant a monthly salary of 20,000 baht ($560), in addition to commissions that increased based on how much they collected from gamblers.
It was discovered that the residence had been rented since November last year for the sole purpose of serving as a hub for online gambling operations. All the detainees were subsequently remanded to the custody of officials at Huamai Police Station to initiate legal proceedings.
