Thai police break up major online gambling and World Cup betting network
The Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) police have arrested five people and seized valuables, cash and bank books in a crackdown on a major online gambling network, involving 13 locations in Bangkok and the northern province of Chiang Rai.
The items seized include seven luxury cars, 42 luxury wristwatches, 45 brand name bags, collectable dolls, three million baht in cash and 166 bank books.
Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittipraphat, the national police chief, said that the network operated around the clock and has openly placed advertisements on social media enticing people to gamble, especially during World Cup 2022.
He said that those wanting to bet online were required to transfer money into the bank accounts of the gambling operator’s nominees. The nominees would then withdraw the money and send it to the network operator.
Among the five suspects arrested are three nominees, who agreed to open bank accounts to be used in money laundering operation, said the police chief.
According to Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, the deputy national police chief, this online gambling network has been operational for over five years and has earned more than 3 billion baht in revenue.
The revenue was used to buy land worth over 600 million baht and to invest in the stock market, he said.
Since the start of the World Cup, police have arrested 10,644 gamblers, including about 9,000 who bet on football matches.
Most forms of gambling remain illegal in Thailand.
