Thai police launch another anti-gambling operation. This week, the police in Ubon Ratchathani successfully dismantled a large illegal gambling website "VIPGAME66," arresting three core members and seizing luxury cars, designer watches, computers, and several cryptocurrency accounts, with the total value of assets involved exceeding 2.8 million Thai Baht. However, the operation also revealed a shocking scandal: the gang is suspected of long-term bribery of police insiders to obtain protection.
According to the police investigation, the organization has a strict structure and clear division of labor, involving not only the illegal operation of gambling websites but also money laundering and illegal capital flows. What is more shocking is that since 2020, the suspects have been paying 50,000 Thai Baht per month as "care fees" to a former police officer's younger brother, suspected as a disguised "protection fee" to evade law enforcement.
The police have now frozen high-end residences, luxury cars, luxury goods, and various electronic assets and are investigating whether more officials are involved. The Ubon police emphasize that they will continue to investigate deeply, thoroughly checking all possible "dark hands" hidden within the system, and resolutely breaking the protective chain of gambling crimes.
In recent years, online gambling and cross-border fraud issues have frequently erupted in Thailand, with major cases being cracked in Chiang Mai, Pattaya, Phuket, and other places. Criminal gangs often use mansions and hotels as cover, utilizing foreigners to build transnational crime chains. Is the downfall of VIPGAME66 just the tip of the iceberg? Are there other masterminds behind it? The answers are yet to be revealed.
This is not only a law enforcement achievement but also a strong warning against the hidden corruption network within the system. Whether Thailand can take this opportunity to thoroughly rectify the chaos of gambling and eliminate the protective umbrellas, society is watching.
