Pattaya —
Pattaya authorities arrested over 20 Chinese nationals allegedly involved in operating online gambling and illegal money lending operations during a raid on October 3rd, 2024.
The raid, led by Pol. Maj. Gen. Chatchai Surachetphong, Deputy Commander of Region 2 Police, and Pol. Col. Navin Theerawit, Superintendent of Pattaya Police Station, took place around 1:30 PM at a pool villa inside a housing complex on Chaiyapruek 1 Road in Pattaya. The authorities apprehended 20 Chinese men, along with 13 computers and over 100 mobile phones.
The raid followed a tip from an informant that a large group of Chinese nationals was operating online gambling and illegal money lending businesses in the area. The men were living in three villas, and police found six Chinese men taking phone calls to offer illegal loans to clients, along with a Cambodian woman working as a maid, in the first villa.
At the second villa, eight Chinese men were found on the second floor with nine computers and numerous mobile phones. The third villa had five Chinese men, two of whom were operating computers and quickly shut them down upon seeing the officers.
According to the arresting officers, the group of Chinese nationals across all three villas were connected. The first villa was responsible for persuading people to engage in online gambling, while the second villa operated as an illegal money-lending operation targeting Chinese nationals. However, the suspects claimed to police that they used the third as a food supply storage, but authorities remain skeptical and will conduct further investigations to confirm this claim.
Initially, the 20 Chinese nationals and one Cambodian maid were taken into custody, along with the confiscated computers, mobile phones, and an undisclosed sum of cash. They were charged with working without a legal permit, while further charges will be pursued pending the results of the ongoing investigation.
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