Eighteen suspects were arrested when police raided two online gambling websites with 900 million baht in circulation operating from a resort in Pak Chong district, Nakhon Ratchasima.
Crime Suppression Division police searched Lak Pine resort in tambon Khanong Phra of Pak Chong district around 6.30pm on Thursday, after investigators confirmed that resort rooms were being used as offices for two gambling sites.
The resort is in a quiet, forested area and has 10 rooms. Police found 18 people there working on computers, receiving bets online from customers.
The arresting team seized 10 desk computers, 5 notebook computers, 30 mobile phones and 12 bank account books, Pol Col Wiwat Jitsophakul, the superintendent of CSD sub-division 3 who led the raid, said.
He said the raid followed an investigation into complaints that YouTuber “Jah Rok’’ encouraged people to place bets online.
All 10 rooms at the resort were being used by two gambling websites - biz99.bet and aladdin.bet.
The 18 people arrested worked as administrators of the two gambling sites, which drew at least 20 million baht in bets a month and had about 900 million baht in circulation, Pol Col Wiwat said.
The two websites had been operating for four years in Cambodia. They moved to operating the sites from Thailand last year, renting the entire resort for 30,000 baht a month. Each administrator was paid 15,000 baht a month.
Pol Col Wiwat said the investigation was being extended to bring others involved to task.
