Two arrested for allegedly running gambling website, money laundering

The arrests were made after the police raided three luxury houses in Bangkok following months of investigations by the two divisions.

TSCD commander Pol Maj-General Atip Pongsiwapai told a press conference at the CSD that the two suspects were identified by their first names as Narayuth, 39 and Narote, alias Hi-So Who, 33, the son of a former senator.

The joint operation was codenamed “Shutdown operation against Askmepay and Hengpay online payment services”, which were used to allow gamblers to conveniently make their bets on the 69pgslot.com gambling website, Atip added.

The two were wanted on arrest warrants for providing online gambling services and money laundering on the gambling website.

Atip said Narayuth admitted he owned the gambling site but Narote denied owning the two payment services for the gambling site.

During the searches of the suspects’ houses, police seized two computers, a notebook computer, four luxury cars and froze bank accounts having 362 million baht in the account. Overall, police froze assets worth 400 million baht of the suspects.

Pol Colonel Chidnupong Waidee, commander of TSCD subdivision 3, told the same press conference that the gambling website had been operating for three or four years while the two payments services were in operation for about seven or eight months.

Atip added that the Askmepay service accepted payments via QR code, which would be credited to Heng Online 888 Co Ltd – also registered as HengPay Co Ltd.

Atip said that after the money went to HengPay’s account, it would be further transferred to mule accounts.

Atip said police believed some 5 billion baht was circulated in the Hengpey payment service system.

Atip added that Narote carried out several businesses, which he allegedly used as a front for his money laundering services.