BANGKOK: Police have raided a luxury hotel in Nonthaburi province, dismantling an alleged gambling den, drug-party operation and sex-service arrangement that authorities said catered mainly to Chinese clients.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), through the Crime Suppression Division, launched Operation “Dragon Nest” to crack down on what it described as a hidden “grey dragon” network operating from the hotel.
Police arrested a 33-year-old Chinese man on charges of selling a Category 2 psychotropic substance, ketamine, by possessing it for commercial sale and causing its spread among the public.
Officers also arrested three Myanmar nationals on charges related to entering and residing in the kingdom without permission.
The arrests took place at a hotel on Ngam Wong Wan Road, Bang Khen subdistrict, Mueang district, Nonthaburi province.
The operation followed a tip-off from members of the public that a luxury hotel in Nonthaburi was behaving suspiciously. The hotel was reportedly not accepting ordinary tourists, while Chinese nationals were seen entering and leaving throughout the day and night.
Investigators later found that the entire hotel had allegedly been rented by a grey Chinese capital group and converted into a secret all-in-one operating base with tight security.
Police said floors two to six were used as accommodation, while the seventh and eighth floors had allegedly been converted into areas for drug parties, gambling and arranged sexual services for Chinese clients.
More than 100 officers were deployed to surround and search the hotel under a Criminal Court search warrant.
Inside, police found more than 40 people and seized more than 200 items of evidence.
The seized items included ketamine, so-called “happy water”, packaging equipment, gambling tools such as chips, playing cards, dice, baccarat sheets and hi-lo equipment, cash, bank accounts, mobile phones and CCTV system data.
The suspects and seized items were taken to Rattanathibet Police Station for legal proceedings.
Initial questioning found that the Chinese suspect denied all drug-related charges, claiming he was only an employee responsible for delivering drugs according to orders.
The Myanmar suspects reportedly admitted they had illegally entered Thailand to work. - The Nation/ANN
