BANGKOK – Thai police have cracked down on a major illegal network operating inside a luxury hotel in Nonthaburi, Thailand. Over 100 officers executed a search warrant on the property along Ngamwongwan Road. Authorities launched the raid following tips from concerned residents who noticed unusual activity.
The officers uncovered a secretive compound run for Chinese tourists and organized crime figures. Residents reported seeing Chinese visitors entering the hotel continuously at all hours. Meanwhile, Thai citizens were routinely turned away under the claim that no rooms were available.
Key Takeaways
- Major Crime Hub Dismantled: Police raided a Nonthaburi hotel operating a casino, drug den, and vice service exclusively for Chinese clients.
- Strict Security Measures: The hotel used locked elevators, private lookouts, and keycards to keep the illegal operations hidden from authorities.
- Repeat Offender Site: The venue was previously raided in 2023, but reopened secretly with tighter security after claiming to undergo renovations.
Undercover officers discovered that the hotel was carefully organized to prevent information leaks. Rooms on floors two through six served as standard hotel accommodations for guests. However, the upper seventh and eighth floors were converted into private party venues and gambling spaces.
Security guards monitored the entrance and communicated with staff using two-way radios. Keycard access was required to use the elevators, which only traveled up to the sixth floor. Guests then had to walk up locked stairwells to reach the illegal gambling rooms above.
The criminal network provided complete door-to-door service to attract high-paying visitors from abroad. Organizers arranged private vans to pick up customers directly from local airports. Once at the hotel, visitors had access to gambling tables, ketamine, and illicit nightlife services.
Arrests and Evidence Seized in Operation Dragon Nest
During the raid, officers found over 40 people staying inside the building premises. Authorities arrested a Chinese national named Mr. Liu along with three undocumented workers from Myanmar. Police seized over 200 items, including baccarat tables, illegal drugs, and 110,000 baht in cash.
Investigators also inspected several high-value vehicles parked outside the hotel grounds. Many of these vehicles belonged to foreign nationals who used local nominees to register ownership. Mr. Liu claimed he was merely a foreman, but police are continuing their broader investigation.
According to coverage by Thairath, immigration police previously raided this location back in 2023. At that time, officers arrested 49 gamblers before the venue claimed to undergo renovations. The operators later reopened under tighter security until law enforcement finally shut them down again.
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