Thai Cyber Police Bust International Online Gambling Ring in Phuket
Thai Cyber Police have arrested six individuals, including three Taiwanese nationals and three Thai citizens, following a significant operation targeting an international online gambling syndicate in Phuket. The suspects were running the operation from a luxury villa, overseeing an advanced money laundering system designed for multiple gambling websites.
The crackdown, known as “Island Closure, Transnational Grey Capital Takedown,” took place on February 10 under the leadership of Police Lieutenant General Trairong Phiwphan. Officers executed a search warrant at a high-end villa on Thepkasattri Road in Koh Kaew district, where they seized 119 mobile phones, two computers, 19 bank passbooks, and illegal substances, including 6 ecstasy pills and 74.5 grams of ketamine.
The investigation revealed a complex financial network, with the gang using rented luxury properties as operational hubs. To evade detection, they frequently relocated their base. The suspects had developed a custom financial system allowing gamblers to deposit funds via specialized applications, which could automatically transfer money across various accounts simultaneously—an upgrade over the traditional sequential transfer method.
Authorities found that the operation managed over 20 million baht (approximately $286,000) in transactions. The Taiwanese suspects admitted to receiving a salary of 50,000 baht ($1,465) monthly for managing the system around the clock, including verifying transactions and coordinating with Thai nationals who handled face verification for bank accounts. The Thai accomplices earned 2,500 baht ($73) for each bank account registration and 20,000 baht ($587) monthly for providing face scanning services.
