Police arrested a member of a major gambling website during raids yesterday on premises in Bangkok and other provinces that were conducted to gather evidence on the so-called "four brothers" who have been accused by a TV actress of allegedly operating the site.
Police and police commandos, led by Pol Maj Gen Wiwat Kamchamnan, deputy commissioner of the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB), raided eight premises with suspected links to the gambling website macau888.
One of the locations raided was a luxury house in Pak Kret district of Nonthaburi, which belonged to Natthaphong Shina, alias "Zico", 28, a native of Udon Thani.
Mr Natthaphong was wanted on an arrest warrant issued by the Criminal Court on Jan 31 for colluding in running an online gambling operation or persuading people either directly or indirectly to bet and collude in money laundering. He was not found in the house during the raid.
Pol Maj Gen Wiwat said police seized key items from the house, which was used as a location to keep football gambling slips and underground lottery bets, as well as details of macau888's customers. Mr Natthaphong helped operate the network's finances, said the CCIB deputy chief.
The arresting team later managed to arrest Mr Natthaphong, who was hiding at a condominium in Udon Thani.
The crackdown operation on network members of the macau888 gambling website came after TV actress Arisara "Due" Thongborisut exposed the network and those involved on her Facebook page on Jan 15. In her post, Arisara provided clues that the gambling website was allegedly run by "four brothers", all with the initial "Bor".
A source said one of the four men was her ex-boyfriend, known as "Benz Daemon". The actress and her family later flew to Taiwan after exposing the gambling site.
Pol Lt Gen Worawat Watnakhonbancha, CCIB commissioner, later sought information from the actress before reporting to national police chief, Pol Gen Damrongsak Kittiprapas, and deputy national police chief Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol, which led to the crackdown, said the source.
Another location raided was a house in Bangkok's Chatuchak district which belonged to Noppanat Sangkhasap, 39, who allegedly acted as a financial manager for the four "Bor" brothers.
During the raid, two guns and ammunition, three cars, brand-name bags, about 10 Bearbrick dolls, bank accounts and company documents linked to the four brothers were seized, said the source.
Mr Noppanat reportedly flew to Hong Kong with his family before the police raid. He previously bought air tickets in advance, and it was believed that he might meet the four brothers, who had earlier left the country.
After learning the police raided his house, Mr Noppanat contacted police authorities saying he would return to Thailand on Feb 10, said the source.
The police team also searched Beat The World Co on Rama IX Road in the Bang Kapi area of Huai Khwang after an investigation found the firm was allegedly linked to macao888. The team uncovered evidence that showed links between Mr Noppanat and Ekkachai Khachornbunthavorn, alias "Boss", 35, one of the four wanted brothers.