Cyber Police Seize ฿3.8m in Gambling Money Laundering Raid

Pictures courtesy of InsideThailand

Cyber police have raided a car battery shop in Bangkok’s Don Mueang district, seizing more than 3.8 million baht in cash and arresting two men accused of laundering money for an illegal online gambling website. The operation was led by senior officers from the Technology Crime Suppression Division and forms part of a nationwide crackdown on online gambling networks. Police said the business was used as a front to conceal financial transactions linked to the gambling operation.

The raid followed an investigation ordered by Pol Lt Gen Surapol Prembut, Commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau, to intensify action against technology-related crimes, particularly illegal gambling websites. Officers from Sub-Division 2, Division 4 of the bureau traced online advertisements promoting the gambling site “dg888.wowspeed”. The arrest of a suspect involved in posting the advertisements led investigators to expand the probe and uncover associated financial routes.

Police found that funds from the gambling website were transferred into mule accounts, with one suspect responsible for withdrawing cash and moving money between individual and corporate mule accounts. Investigators said the website had been operating for more than two years, with an estimated annual turnover exceeding 200 million baht. Financial tracing linked the transactions to a car battery shop offering 24-hour sales and replacement services, allegedly used to disguise the illegal activity.

On the afternoon of 29 January 2026, officers executed a search warrant issued by the Criminal Court on 28 January 2026 at a battery shop on Chang Akat Uthit 5/1 Road in Don Mueang. The operation was led by Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Khamchamnarn, Deputy Commissioner of the bureau, alongside Pol Maj Gen Kritchayap Bamrungratynayot, Commander of Division 4 and other senior officers. Two suspects were arrested: Mr Phanuphong, also known as Toey, aged 32 and Mr Saksit, also known as Pang, aged 31.

Police seized more than 3.8 million baht in cash, an automatic money-counting machine, five ATM cards, a safe and three mobile phones allegedly used for gambling-related communications. Mr Pang admitted to handling the gambling website’s financial system under orders from a superior, coordinating with site administrators and verifying transfer slips, for which he received 15,000 baht per month. Mr Toey admitted acting as an accountant, depositing part of the cash into ATMs for transfer to company accounts and delivering the remaining cash to the website owner monthly, earning 10,000 baht per month.

InsideThailand reported that both suspects were charged with jointly organising or promoting illegal online gambling without authorisation. Police said further investigations are under way to identify all members of the network and locate the website’s owner. Authorities are also examining financial trails to seize and freeze assets under Thailand’s Anti-Money Laundering Act.

Key Takeaways

• Thai cyber police arrested two men and seized over 3.8 million baht linked to an online gambling network.

• A Don Mueang car battery shop was allegedly used as a front for laundering gambling proceeds.

• Investigators are expanding the probe to trace assets and arrest the website’s owner.

Adapted by ASEAN Now from InsideThailand 2026-01-31