PUBLISHED: Mar. 7, 2024 at 18:16
Eighteen Asian nationals have been detained for allegedly operating an online gambling business while a pleasure residence has been searched in Bangkok.
Pol Lt Gen Ittiphol Itthisarnronchai, Immigration Bureau ( IB ) chief, said at a press conference on Thursday that immigration officers were searching the house in the Rama IX area on suspicion that a group of foreign nationals were using the building as an operations base for online gambling.
In the stately residence, 18 Asian nationals were discovered, 10 of whom were men and 8 of whom were girls. Le Thi Kim Oanh, 20, was one of them. The girl and the 17 other accomplices face charges of colluding with one another to conduct an online gaming operation or using direct or indirect means of persuasion to engage in gambling.
35 products used to operate online betting were taken from the home, including servers and other accessories.
The arrests took place after IB researchers learned that a group of suspected foreigners lived inside the house and frequently left, with the lights often on. The officers then began to carefully follow the movements of the unusual tenants, according to the IB key. They found proof that they were running online gambling inside their home and that they were Asian immigrants. The officers next requested permission to search the two-story residence at Phra Khanong Criminal Court.
The second floor of the house was used as hostel while the first floor was used for relaxation. With ten sets of computers and accessories, the hall served as an online gaming hub.  ,
The 18 Asian nationals worked in pairs on computers with links to betting websites, according to surveillance camera film.
According to the IB captain, the 18 defendants testified during questioning that they were the owners of 24-hour betting sites. They claimed the gambler was from Vietnam. Each of them received a monthly salary of$ 20,000 plus profits from the bets they persuaded players to place online.  ,
Since November of last year, the property has been rented out as a base for online gaming operations. At Hua Mak Police Station, both those detained were turned over to law enforcement.
A Bangkok immigration officer shows a chart describing the imprisonment of 18 Asian nationals for engaging in online gambling at a rented , luxurious residence. ( Photo: Immigration Bureau )