Cyber police dismantled the gambling network “PGLIVE77.168WINPLAY,” which has about 2,000 members and an annual turnover exceeding 120 million baht. Four admins and mule account managers were arrested.
At 1:00 p.m. on 17 Mar 2024 GMT+7, at the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) Headquarters in Muang Thong Thani, Pak Kret district, Nonthaburi province, Pol. Lt. Gen. Surapol Prembutr, TCSD Commander, along with Pol. Maj. Gen. Chatchapatkan Klailueng, Deputy TCSD Commander, Pol. Maj. Gen. Sarayut Chunnanawat, Commander of TCSD Division 2, and Pol. Maj. Gen. Sila Kanjanarak, Commander of TCSD Division 5, held a press conference announcing the operation to dismantle the gambling network “PGLIVE77.168WINPLAY,” which has an annual turnover exceeding 120 million baht.
Pol. Maj. Gen. Sarayut Chunnanawat, Commander of TCSD Division 2, said that investigators from Investigation Section 3, TCSD Division 5, discovered the website “PGLIVE77.168WINPLAY” with over 2,000 members. It has operated for more than one year, with an average monthly turnover exceeding 10 million baht, totaling over 120 million baht annually. The site illicitly offered online gambling services such as lottery, slots, international football betting, baccarat, and various other types of gambling.
The site employed an automated bank account system for deposits to play online gambling. Users could also request withdrawals directly through the website, with site admins providing assistance or acting on behalf of the website in cases like registration issues, financial transactions, or encouraging people to gamble online through the site.
Later, Pol. Col. Sutthichai Thianpho, Chief of Investigation Section 3, TCSD Division 5, along with Pol. Lt. Col. Pathompong Meeu, Deputy Chief of Investigation Section 3, and the investigation team traced the gambling website’s base to Phuket province. They gathered evidence and obtained arrest warrants from Surat Thani Provincial Court for eight individuals involved, including account holders who handled deposits and withdrawals and admins who communicated with the website’s customers.
They then sought and received a search warrant from Phuket Provincial Court, warrant number 55/2026, to raid a house in Moo 3, Ko Kaeo Subdistrict, Mueang District, Phuket province. They arrested Mr. Atawit, 30, the head admin, wanted under Surat Thani Provincial Court warrant no. 264/2026 dated 6 Mar 2023, and Ms. Chonthorn, 26, his girlfriend and an admin responsible for managing other admins’ work, wanted under Surat Thani Provincial Court warrant no. 262/2026 dated 6 Mar 2023. They also seized computers and four mobile phones as evidence.
Additionally, investigators arrested Ms. Wilawan, 23, in Khlong Luang District, Pathum Thani province, and Mr. Tai Wai Su, 25, a Myanmar national, in Pranburi District, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. Both served as mule account operators handling deposits and withdrawals on the website. Initial interrogations revealed all four suspects confessed.
All suspects were charged with “conspiring to facilitate gambling or employing schemes to entice or advertise to others directly or indirectly to participate in gambling involving baccarat, slot machines, and football betting without permission,” “money laundering,” and “opening or allowing others to use one’s bank accounts, electronic cards, or electronic accounts without intent to use them for oneself or related businesses, knowing or having reason to know they would be used in technology crimes or other criminal offenses.”