DSI destroys 15 major online gambling websites simultaneously, arrests operators/networks, discovers over 100,000 player accounts, with a turnover of over 2 billion baht.
On this day (Tuesday, April 30, 2567), Police Colonel Yutthanarad Pradum, acting for the Director of the Special Investigation Department, Police Lieutenant Colonel Phayaw Thongsen, Deputy Director of the Special Investigation Department, and Police Major General Khemachat Prakaikhong, Director of the Technological and Information Crime Division, led a team of Special Investigation Department officers, along with officials from the Ministry of Interior and the Institute of Legal Studies, totaling more than 200 personnel, to conduct simultaneous searches at 15 locations related to online gambling websites in the central region, including 5 locations in Nonthaburi Province, 8 locations in Lopburi Province, and 2 locations in Nakhon Sawan Province, to apprehend suspects, search for key witnesses, and seize a significant amount of assets.
The aforementioned case is a search operation in the special case No. 76/2566, where a group of offenders accessed bank accounts of others who were not theirs through mobile banking applications and/or internet banking to commit offenses in the form of advertising or enticing others to gamble through electronic media, allowing the general public to access online gambling. They organized gambling activities to gain wealth, conducted online gambling through websites www.sandvip.com, www.sand168.com, www.gts89.com, and www.gtb89.com illegally. When they received money from the general public who participated in gambling, the group transferred the money out of the system by transferring it to various accounts belonging to relatives or acquaintances, and hired individuals to open or purchase accounts (horse accounts), then transferred the money to several other bank accounts to evade scrutiny by government agencies or conceal the financial transaction routes. They then withdrew the money from the system by withdrawing cash using ATM cards. The bank accounts and the defendants themselves were involved in this case. There are individuals who are owners/investors, individuals responsible for managing the system/members of the website (Admin team), individuals responsible for financial matters/owners of bank accounts used to receive money in the gambling website network www.sandvip.com (now changed to www.gtb89.com), www.sand168.com (now changed to www.gts89.com), and other websites within the network. The aforementioned group of individuals have been operating this illegal business together without fear of the law for several years.
During the investigation by the Department of Special Investigation, it was found that the online gambling network in question has websites within the network
A total of 6 websites and several other websites have a circulation capital of over 2,000,000,000 baht (two billion baht), making it a large-scale operation with over 100,000 gambling members and a team of over a dozen administrators.
And there have been multiple accounts used to receive money transfers, including using accounts of deceased individuals to receive money transfers. This is because this online gambling website has financial pathways linked to several other accounts. The Department of Special Investigation will prepare to expand the investigation into money laundering involving related individuals and future gamblers.
Colonel Yutthanarad Phraedam revealed that today's operation was a joint effort with the Department of Provincial Administration and the Institute of Legal Studies, bringing a court warrant to search and arrest 38 suspects, including 9 capital owners and 6 close associates responsible for running major online gambling and money laundering operations. The offenses were collectively committed by unauthorized access to computer systems, particularly those with security measures not intended for them, and jointly engaging in gambling or deception.
Help advertise or solicit directly or indirectly for others to play or gamble in a way that is not authorized by the authorities and jointly commit money laundering
In this operation, it was possible to apprehend a large online gambling tycoon group and launder money, and key individuals involved
To cut off the circuits and water supply pipes of large-scale criminal organizations, 13 out of 38 suspects have been arrested. The remaining suspects will be pursued and apprehended by the Special Investigation Department to proceed with the case. As for the assets being investigated.
And seized assets related to the offense including 17 cars (2 Ferraris, 1 house car), 5 motorcycles, approximately 25 brand name bags, cash and foreign currency totaling around 3 million baht, gold jewelry weighing over 1,000 baht, sacred objects, jewelry, watches (Patek Philippe/Franck Muller/Rolex), a safe, computer equipment, and mobile phones, bank account books. Additionally, bank accounts at Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikorn Bank, TrueMoney, firearms, and ammunition, with a total asset value of over tens of millions of baht.
The Department of Special Investigation will expedite the investigation and expand the prosecution against the wrongdoers.
The following are involved and the authorities will seize and confiscate the assets of this group without fail. The Department of Special Investigation will transfer the assets to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) for asset forfeiture in accordance with the law. If it is found that the offenders have not paid taxes as required by law, the case will be referred to the Revenue Department for tax proceedings.
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On Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Police Major Yuthana Praedam, Acting Director-General of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI), Police Lieutenant Colonel Phayao Thongsen, Deputy Director-General of the DSI, and Mr. Khemchart Prakaihongmanee, Director of the Technology and Cyber Crime Bureau, led a team of over 200 DSI officers, together with the Department of Provincial Administration and the Central Institute of Forensic Science, to execute search warrants at 15 locations across the Central Region of Thailand in connection with online gambling websites. The raids were conducted simultaneously in Nonthaburi Province (5 locations), Lopburi Province (8 locations), and Nakhon Sawan Province (2 locations). The operation aimed to arrest suspects with warrants, search for evidence, and seize assets.
This case is part of Special Case No. 76/2566, which involves a criminal group that gained access to bank accounts of others without their consent through mobile banking applications and/or internet banking to commit offenses by advertising or enticing others to gamble online, making online gambling accessible to the general public. The investigation revealed that the group jointly organized gambling games for money, organized online and electronic gambling through the websites www.sandvip.com, www.sand168.com, www.gts89.com, and www.gtb89.com illegally. After obtaining money from gamblers, the group transferred the money out of the system to various accounts belonging to their subordinates or close associates, as well as hired or purchased accounts (mule accounts). They then transferred the money to multiple bank accounts in an attempt to evade scrutiny by government agencies or conceal the financial trail. The money was then withdrawn from the system using ATM cards, the bank accounts and the suspects themselves in this case. The individuals involved include the owners/financiers of the websites, the website administrators/members (Admin team), the financial administrators/bank account owners used to receive money in the network of the gambling websites www.sandvip.com (changed to www.gtb89.com), www.sand168.com (changed to www.gts89.com), and other websites in the network. These individuals have been jointly operating this illegal business for several years without fear of the law.
The DSI's investigation found that the online gambling network has a total of 6 websites in its network, plus several other websites, with a total of over 2 billion baht in circulation. It is a large-scale operation with over 100,000 gambling members, dozens of admin staff, and the use of dozens of mule accounts to receive transfers, including even using the accounts of deceased persons. As the online gambling website has financial trails linked to many other accounts, the DSI will prepare to expand the investigation into money laundering charges against those involved and the gamblers.
Police Major Yuthana Praedam revealed that today's operation was a joint effort with the Department of Provincial Administration and the Central Institute of Forensic Science to execute search warrants and arrest 38 suspects with warrants. This includes 9 financiers and 6 subordinates and close associates who played key roles in operating the large-scale online gambling and money laundering networks. The suspects are charged with jointly accessing a computer system with security measures specifically designed to prevent access and not intended for them, and jointly organizing or devising a scheme to advertise, entice, or encourage directly or indirectly others to gamble or participate in gambling that is not authorized by the authorities, and jointly laundering money.
In this operation, 13 key members of the large-scale online gambling and money laundering network were arrested, cutting off the financial lifeline of this large criminal organization. The DSI will continue to track down and arrest the remaining suspects. As for the assets seized during the search, they include 17 vehicles (2 Ferraris, 1 RV), 5 motorcycles, approximately 25 brand-name bags, cash and foreign currency worth approximately 3 million baht, gold jewelry weighing a total of over 1,000 baht, amulets, jewelry, watches (Patek Philippe, Franck Muller, Rolex), safes, computer equipment, mobile phones, bank account books. In addition, bank accounts at Siam Commercial Bank, Kasikorn Bank, TrueMoney, firearms, and ammunition were frozen, with a total asset value of tens of millions of baht.
The DSI will continue to investigate and expand the case against those involved and will decisively seize and freeze the assets of this criminal network. The DSI will submit the assets to the Anti-Money Laundering Office (AMLO) so that the assets can be forfeited. If it is found that the offenders have not paid taxes in accordance with the law, the matter will be referred to the Revenue Department for further tax action.