Thai police can’t find alleged ‘macau888’ kingpin’s rare Lamborghini
UPDATE
Police searched three locations in Thailand but the super rare Lamborghini they planned to seize from alleged macau888 gambling kingpin Benz Daemon today is nowhere to be found.
Police did however seize other luxury cars belonging to various suspects in the case including Benz Daemon, who is believed to be in hiding in Hong Kong.
Netizens are criticising the Thai police for moving too slowly and giving suspects more than ample time to escape the country and hide their assets, such as a Lamborghini Mad Bull Liberty Walk Aventador V2 estimated to cost over 40 million baht.
After all, TV actress Arisara “Due” Thongborisut made the allegations on Facebook against “four brothers” – including her ex-boyfriend Benz Daemon – almost a month ago on January 15.
Site 1
Police raided a warehouse in Bangkok’s Saphan Sung district to find several luxury cars.
Police seized one grey Mercedes-Benz AMG G 63 which belongs to Kittiphong Kachonbunthavorn, one of the “four brothers” allegedly behind the gambling website.
A Mercedes-Benz G 400 belonging to Isara Kutchaikul, one of 13 suspects in the case, was also seized. Police believe Isara is hiding out in Dubai.
However, police found no Lamborghini.
Site 2
Officers searched a luxury car showroom in the Phattanakarn area of Bangkok where they believed Benz Daemon’s Lamborghini Mad Bull Liberty Walk Aventador V2 to be located.
However, the car was not there.
Site 3
Police inspected a car repair shop called ‘Oo Kong Too Korat’ in Nakhon Ratchasima province in northeast Thailand.
Two racing cars belonging to Benz Daemon were seized from Oo Kong Too Korat including a Nissan Skyline R32 and a pink Nissan cerfiro.
However, the prized Lambo was not there.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Wiwat Kamchamnan, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), said that today’s operation was to expand links to the macau888 network and seize property from the suspects in the case.
However, the police’s main target is Benz’s special edition Lamborghini, which is one of 50 in the world and the only one in Thailand, said Wiwat.
Police said they would prosecute anyone hiding assets for the suspects.
ORIGINAL STORY
Thailand’s cyber police say they will seize a super rare Lamborghini owned by the alleged owner of the illegal online gambling network ‘macau888‘ today.
The Lamborghini Mad Bull Liberty Walk Aventador V2 is one of only 50 in the world with an estimated value of 37 – 44 million baht. It is the only one in Thailand.
The ‘Liberty Walk’ exterior cost an extra 3 million baht, bringing the total value of the car up to at least 40 million, said police.
The Criminal Court issued arrest warrants against 13 suspects related to the network, including alleged owner Chaiwat “Benz Daemon” Kajornboonthavorn, who is believed to have fled to Hong Kong to avoid arrest.
The arrest warrants outline charges such as persuading others to gamble, advertising gambling, and money laundering.
The crackdown on the gambling website follows allegations made on Facebook in January by TV actress Arisara “Due” Thongborisut. She alleged that Benz Daemon is one of four “brothers” operating the site.
Police made eight arrests relating to the macau888 gambling network so far. However, when they entered Benz Daemon’s condo in Bangkok’s Wattana district, he was nowhere to be found.
CCTV footage pictures Benz leaving the condo on Thursday. Police believe he is in Hong Kong. Two other female suspects are also believed to have fled, one to Cambodia.
Police raided a warehouse in the Krungthep Kreetha area after learning that Benz Daemon uses it as a luxury car storage facility, seizing the 7th out of 50 Lamborghini Mad Bull Liberty Walk Aventador V2s ever made.
Deputy national police chief Pol. Gen. Torsak Sukwimol led a cyber police taskforce to launch a crackdown in 30 locations connected to the macau888 network at 1am yesterday.
Police raided an entertainment venue on Bangkok’s Royal City Avenue allegedly being used to launder profits from the website.
Police found a bag of ketamine on the floor and shut down the venue for 30 days.
At this stage, it is not yet clear how much money is in circulation in the macau888 gambling network.
