Police Seize Around $15m in Thailand Gambling Den Raid
Police in Pattaya, Thailand have arrested 42 people and seized assets of around $15m after a raid on an illegal gambling den in a four-star hotel room.
Officers seized tables, card sets, and gambling chips worth ฿500m (US$15m) and arrested 42 people after a raid on a hotel room in Pattaya. The 42 suspects now face charges for gambling, which is illegal under Thai law.
The raid on Le Vernissage in Pattaya comes just days after another bust on an illegal gambling den at a luxury condominium. The Christmas Day raid resulted in 18 arrests and the seizure of $15m. Three of the arrested were the staff members of Le Verissages.
42 people were arrested in the Le Vernissage raid. They were not wearing masks. Thai law enforcement is taking the mandatory face coverings to be worn in all indoor and outdoor public areas seriously. In January 2021, the chair of the main government panel on illegal gambling, Chanchao Chaiyanukij, formed three subcommittees tasked with tackling the illicit gambling operations. Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stated he was ready to consider a legal gambling market for the southeast Asian country.