Mother of online gambling suspect detained by Thai police
Police detained the mother of a serial illegal gambling operator in Thailand and transferred her to a women’s correctional facility after no relatives or lawyers submitted a bail request. She faces charges of promoting online gambling and money laundering.
Investigators from Division 1 of the Central Investigation Bureau brought 51 year old Banyen Channara to the Criminal Court on Ratchadaphisek Road. She is the mother of serial offender Siapo Anon and was apprehended under an arrest warrant for her alleged involvement in organising and advertising online gambling and money laundering, dating back to 2021. She had been evading arrest for over three years.
The court reviewed the detention request and approved an initial 12-day detention period, from yesterday to November 4. After the court proceedings, no relatives or lawyers appeared to submit a temporary release request on her behalf.
Consequently, officials from the Department of Corrections transferred Banyen to the Central Women’s Correctional Institution, reported KhaoSod.
In related news, Pattaya police raided three pool villas where a Chinese gang was operating illegal money lending and online gambling activities, seizing 13 computers and over 100 mobile phones.
Chatchai Surachetphong, Deputy Regional Police Chief of Region 2, along with Navin Theerawit, Pattaya City Police Chief, and Thananon Athiphansri, Deputy Chief of Pattaya City Police, led a raid to investigate a pool villa in a village located on Chaiyaphruek 1 Road in Nong Prue, Bang Lamung district, Chon Buri province on October 3.
They detained 20 foreigners and confiscated 13 computers and more than 100 mobile phones.
Police acted on a tip-off observing Chinese nationals engaging in online gambling promotion and illegal money lending. The investigation covered three houses. At the first house, No. 138/90, six Chinese men were found busy answering phones, and handling loan inquiries from customers, and a Cambodian woman was working as a housemaid.
More than 100 mobile phones and four laptop computers were seized here.
