BANGKOK – Immigration police in Bangkok raided a house in the Rama 9 district and arrested 18 Vietnamese nationals who had been operating online gambling websites.
The raid was carried out after police received a complaint that the lights in the house were constantly on and the residents rarely left the house.
The investigation revealed on March 7, 2024, that the house was rented by a group of Vietnamese nationals who were working as administrators for an online gambling website. The website was operated by a Vietnamese national who was based in Vietnam.
The arrested suspects, 10 men and 8 women, were charged with organizing and promoting online gambling. They were also found to be in possession of 39 computers and other equipment used for the gambling operation.It was reported that Ms. Le Thi Kim Oanh, 20, was the head of the administrative team.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Ittipol Ittisarnronnachai, the Commissioner of Immigration Bureau, revealed that the suspects were working for a Vietnamese boss. They were paid a monthly salary of 20,000 baht and a commission for each customer they recruited. The house had been rented as a base for the illegal gambling operation since November 2023.
The house has two floors. The first floor is used for living and dining, while the second floor is used for sleeping. The living room is where the work is done. There are 10 computers set up in the living room, and there are employees sitting at the computers. CCTV footage shows that the 18 employees work in shifts around the clock.
Preliminary computer inspection results found documents and spreadsheets detailing the employees’ online gambling activities. They were engaged in multiple online gambling websites including b29.cafe, b69.cafe, Choangclub99, and kingfun247. They also accessed social media platforms to promote and invite others to participate in online gambling, as well as to address issues related to online gambling.
The police have charged all 18 Vietnamese involved with organising or conspiring to organise gambling activities or inducing others to gamble directly or indirectly through electronic media without permission from the authorities.
