Cyber police break up online gambling network “Lottobank.com”, seize assets worth over 16 million baht.
Pol. Lt. Gen. Worawat Wattanakornbancha, commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, ordered Pol. Maj. Gen. Nipol Boonkeat, commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division 2, and Pol. Col. Kunaphayon Ariyarattanathorn, chief of the News Analysis Division, Technology Crime Suppression Division 2, to lead forces with search warrants from the Criminal Court and Min Buri Criminal Court to search 6 target locations in Bangkok. The first location was Soi Seri Thai 9, Khlong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Kum District, Bangkok; locations 2 and 3 were 2 companies on Sukhapiban 5 Road, O Ngoen Subdistrict, Sai Mai District, Bangkok; location 4 was a search of a company on Soi Ram Intra 19, Soi 2, Anusawari Subdistrict, Bang Khen District, Bangkok; location 5 was a search of a condominium on Phahon Yothin 35 and Soi Vibhavadi Rangsit 38, Lat Yao Subdistrict, Chatuchak District, Bangkok; and location 6 wa
s a search of a condominium in the Ratchayothin area, Lat Yao Subdistrict, Chatuchak District, Bangkok.
Following the investigation by the police of the News Analysis Division, Technology Crime Suppression Division 2, an online gambling website named ‘huaybank.com’ with over 8,700 members was found to have been secretly providing various forms of gambling, such as online lottery, online yeekee lottery, online foreign lottery prediction, online football betting, online slot machines, online baccarat, online roulette, online sic bo, and various other forms of electronic gambling, with an average monthly turnover of over 11 million baht or over 132 million baht per year.
Later, the investigation team had the undercover agent register as a member of the online gambling website to try gambling. They found that gambling was actually allowed. They collected evidence to request a search warrant from the court for 6 locations linked to the crime, as well as 2 arrest warrants for those involved in the crime. They wer
e able to arrest Mr. Korn Pitakwong, 44, and Ms. Wiphasiri Chatyaphon, 47, a couple who were the beneficiaries of the gambling website and were the owners of the house. They were arrested at house number 98/63, Bangkok Boulevard Signature Village, Lat Phrao-Seri Thai, Soi Seri Thai 9, Khlong Kum Subdistrict, Bueng Kum District, Bangkok.
The results of the search of all 6 locations were able to seize property related to the crime, including 1 Porsche Cayenne worth 6 million baht, 1 Benz E300 worth 3 million baht, 1 Lexus LM350H worth 7 million baht, 1 handgun, 2 notebooks, 2 mobile phones, 6 wristwatches, 20 bankbooks, 11 ATM cards, totaling the value of the seized property of more than 16 million baht.
From the initial investigation, it was found that Mr. Korn and Ms. Wipasiri, a married couple, had been secretly operating a gambling website for about 1 year. The authorities have prosecuted them for the crime of ‘colluding to organize electronic gambling for property without permission and colluding by agre
ement of two or more people to commit the crime of money laundering and committing the crime of money laundering because of the colluding and jointly laundering money’.
Source: Thai News Agency