Police are looking into more evidence to find out if a Chinese suspect arrested in possession of a false Thai ID card on Wednesday is in any way linked to illegal Chinese businesses operating in Thailand, said national police chief Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas.
He revealed on Friday that even though the suspect had already removed his belongings, officers found important evidence from the raid at House No.99 in tambon Lad Sawai of Lam Luk Ka district, Pathum Thani, on Thursday evening.
According to the initial report, the Chinese man who owns the mansion, Shao Xiaobo, 33, is being investigated to see if he is involved in an arms trafficking network, said Pol Gen Damrongsak.
On Wednesday, police arrested Mr Shao on suspicion of holding a fake Thai ID card and found a luxury car resembling a diplomat's limousine, a fake escort police motorcycle and a fake military uniform.
Pol Gen Damrongsak said that even though Mr Shao was not on a criminal watch list, the police have received leads indicating he may be involved in illicit businesses.
He said police are tracking Mr Shao's financial transactions to see if he has connections with any of the heads of the five major Chinese triads operating in Thailand, who were all recently declared personae non gratae in the kingdom.
Two of them have been arrested, while the other three fled the country on private jets, deputy national police chief Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn said on Tuesday.
On the same day, Pol Gen Damrongsak said Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had issued a directive to crack down on entertainment establishments that operate illegally, as well as on mafia figures and those pushing illegal firearms, regardless of the nationality of the offenders.
On Thursday, a Facebook page called Sai Mai Tong Rod (Sai Mai District Must Survive) issued a post stating there had been a violent incident at a local gambling club in Samut Prakan province.
According to the post, a shooting resulted in one fatality. However, Pol Gen Damrongsak said the venue was not a gambling club and local police had not been informed of the shooting.
He said he had assigned officers to look into the matter in the interest of public safety.
When reporters cited local people as claiming the incident had indeed happened at a gambling den and police were pretending not to know of its existence, Pol Gen Damrongsak said he had directed his officers to shut down any illegal businesses they know of.
He conceded gambling takes place in society but said no illegal activities would be allowed.