Cyber Police Take US$30 Million Online Gambling Network

The Police Cyber Taskforce has arrested 5 men on charges of operating a major online gambling network that had more than US$30 million in circulation.

On Saturday afternoon, members of the Police Cyber Taskforce (PCT) and local police raided a two-storey house in north-central Thailand, acting on information that the occupants were linked to the gambling website ZDC789, which operated in Thailand and overseas.

Five men were arrested and eight computers, one laptop computer, 13 mobile phones, three internet routers, and two bank account passbooks, worth a total of US$15,800, were seized from the house.

According to the arresting team, the gambling operation had about US$6 million in circulation.

Cyber police discovered the house had been rented for 22 months and are now trying to determine who rented it.

The raid in Nakhon Sawan was one of four carried out on gambling operations on Saturday, according to Pol Maj Gen Trairong Phiewphan, head of the Police Cyber Taskforce.

In addition to the two raids in Phitsanulok, two other raids in Bangkok were also conducted.

According to Pol Maj Gen Trairong, the operation in Nakhon Sawan took wagers on baccarat, high-low dice, lucky slots, and other card games. Gamblers could also withdraw and deposit money from the site and obtain consultations from the staff.

Polimaj Gen Trairong told state media that the ring was operating an online gambling network with over 500,000 customers and circulating US$30 million. He said cyber police investigators are now tracing the money trail and arresting others involved.