CHIANG RAI – Cyber police have arrested a well-known young entrepreneur from Chiang Rai, who owned several online gambling sites, with an estimated cash flow of 120 million baht a year. Officers also seized assets worth around 5 million baht. He admitted he had moved up from being an employee in the same industry.
On Monday, the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) carried out the operation armed with a Criminal Court search warrant. Cyber police officers searched a house in Muang district, Chiang Rai province. There, they arrested Mr Kasidit (surname withheld), aged 30, identified as the owner of an online gambling network.
Police confiscated a white Honda Accord car, 11 mobile phones, a desktop computer, gold bars weighing 15 baht in total, gold jewellery weighing 5 baht, branded accessories, and six bank books. The total value of seized assets is estimated at more than 5 million baht.
Pol Lt Gen Surapol Prembut, CCIB Commissioner, explained that officers had been investigating an online gambling network linked to the website group gsa9game. The network was found to offer illegal gambling services and to target young people.
Cyber Police Crackdown
Investigators discovered more than 20,000 registered player accounts. Financial checks showed monthly transactions of over 10 million baht, or more than 120 million baht per year. The network was believed to base its operations in Chiang Rai and other northern provinces bordering a neighbouring country.
He said police had collected evidence and sought arrest warrants for 22 suspects involved in the operation.
Before this latest arrest, officers had already detained 9 people, including site administrators, financial managers, advertising and social media staff, and owners of so-called mule accounts. Police are still tracking the remaining suspects and are expanding the investigation to identify all beneficiaries.
From further investigation, officers found clear evidence that Mr Kasidit was one of the main beneficiaries of the gambling network. Police then gathered more material and successfully requested an arrest warrant from the Chiang Rai Provincial Criminal Court.
Seven online gambling sites
A police informant later reported that Mr Kasidit, who was named in the warrant, had been seen at the target location. The arrest team went to check and found him there. Officers identified themselves, showed the warrant, and took him into custody.
During questioning, Mr Kasidit admitted he was the person named in the warrant. He told officers he had been involved in online gambling for around 6 to 7 years. He first crossed the border to work as a marketing employee for an online gambling site in a neighbouring country, receiving a monthly salary.
After some time, he decided he wanted to run his own gambling platforms. He used his savings to set up a website and later expanded the business. He stated that he currently controls seven online gambling sites.
Police initially charged him with jointly organising or arranging gambling, or luring, advertising, or directly or indirectly inviting others to gamble through electronic media without permission from the authorities.
He also faces charges of conspiracy by two or more people to commit money laundering, together with carrying out money laundering as a result of that conspiracy. Officers took him, along with the seized items, to investigators at Subdivision 1, Division 5, for further legal action.
