BANGKOK – Cyber Police have seized high-end cars and other valuables totalling around 56 million baht (US$1.7 million), and taken a man into custody at a luxury property in Khlong Luang, Pathum Thani, for running a major illegal gambling website.
Officers from the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) searched the residence in Khlong Nueng on Wednesday after receiving information that connected the house with the illegal site Auto888vip.com, according to CCIB chief Pol Lt Gen Trairong Piewpan.
The search was carried out under a warrant issued by the Pathum Thani provincial court.
During the operation, police detained a 30-year-old man who is accused of managing the site’s finances, handling the earnings and making withdrawals from Auto888vip.com.
The suspect was later named as Thaweesak Prayoonnikorn. Investigators believe he launched the gambling website about two years ago.
Mercedes-Benz and BMW Seized
Items seized included a Mercedes-Benz CLS53 worth 5 million baht, a BMW M4 valued at 10 million baht, 28 million baht in cash, luxury watches and other branded goods, with all assets combined estimated at over 56 million baht, said Pol Lt Gen Trairong.
Title deeds for a house and land, worth another 7 million baht, were also seized as part of the continuing investigation, he added.
This police action came after an inquiry found Auto888vip.com had been offering illegal betting services online.
Investigators discovered the site had about 3,000 active accounts monthly and had processed cash withdrawals totalling around 20 million baht each month over the past half year.
Police Find 28.5 Million Baht in Cash
Police say efforts to track down others involved in the operation are ongoing. Pol Maj Gen Chatpanthakarn Khlaikhlueng of CCIB division 3 shared that Thaweesak Prayoonnikorn, 30, was captured at the house during the raid. Officers allege he started the site roughly two years ago.
Pol Maj Gen Chatpanthakarn confirmed that the platform had maintained about 3,000 active users each month and handled more than 20 million baht in transactions every month.
Thaweesak is reported to have withdrawn large amounts of cash at night, between 10 pm and 5 am, keeping the money either in a home safe or in travel bags on his property. During the search, police found about 28.5 million baht in cash at the house. The total value of all assets seized during the raid was estimated at 70 million baht.
In Thailand, all forms of unauthorized online gambling are illegal under the Gambling Act B.E. 2478 (1935), and offenders face penalties.
Only the state lottery and licensed horse races at places such as the Royal Bangkok Sports Club are legal forms of betting.
Authorities like the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (MDES) and the Royal Thai Police monitor and block illegal gambling websites. In 2022 alone, 1,830 illegal gambling sites were blocked and 461 people were arrested for related offences.
Despite these efforts, illegal online betting remains widespread. Reports suggest that around 70% of Thai adults have engaged in unauthorized gambling, often turning to VPNs to access overseas sites.
