Thai couple arrested for illegal online gambling in Mae Sai
Police apprehended a young couple for allegedly operating an illegal online gambling website in the heart of Mae Sai. Police from the Technology Crime Suppression Division of Provincial Police Region 5 (PCT Region 5) and local law enforcement carried out the arrest of 25 year old Anuthai, also known as Golf Las Vegas, and his girlfriend 22 year old Phon, following a court-issued search warrant.
The operation was led by Worapong Kamleu, Police Major General of PCT Region 5, alongside Manop Senakoon, Police Major General of Chiang Rai province, and Police Lieutenant Colonel Watchara Tuekta, said a police spokesperson.
“The couple was charged with organising and promoting illegal gambling activities without the necessary authorisation, violating the Gambling Act B.E. 2478, Section 12.”
The PCT Region 5 officers had earlier received intelligence about illicit online gambling activities in Chiang Rai province. Upon investigation, they pinpointed the operations to a residential property in Mae Sai district. Equipped with a search warrant from the Chiang Rai District Court, law enforcement officials proceeded to raid the premises.
During the search, Anuthai and Phon admitted to managing the operations from the said residence. They confessed to owning the online gambling platform, which reportedly handled over 100,000 baht (US$2,915) in monthly transactions, confirmed the police spokesperson.
This financial activity was a key indicator of the scale of their operations, raising concerns over the potential reach and influence of the website.
“The couple confessed to owning and operating the online gambling site, and evidence of significant monthly cash flow was uncovered.”
KhaoSod reported that the police seized several items during the raid, including desktop computers and mobile phones, which were believed to be used in facilitating the gambling operations. These items are now considered crucial evidence in the ongoing investigation. Following their arrest, Anuthai and Phon were taken into custody for further questioning and legal proceedings.
