High-earning Bangkok Casino Raided, Grossing $13m Monthly

In a significant crackdown on illegal gambling activities in Bangkok, Thailand, police have shut down an operation in the Don Muang district that had been operating as one of the most lucrative underground gambling houses in the city.

The den, which had been in operation for some time, was a sprawling venue with five separate gambling rooms, including a spacious central hall and exclusive VIP sections. The venue opened its doors daily at 10am and only shut down for a short four-hour break at 6am.

According to police, the den was part of a larger network operating in the capital area. After weeks of surveillance following complaints from residents about disturbances in the area, police conducted a raid on the site, which had been tracked for roughly a month.

During the raid, police detained over 200 people and confiscated 17 bank passbooks linked to accounts that documented over THB500 million in monthly transactions. The suspects detained in Don Muang are currently being processed for legal action.

Each gambling room could bring in between THB3m ($92,800) and THB4m ($123,700) in a matter of hours. The operation was generating over THB500m (US$13.8m) every month.

Interior Minister and acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai stated that the den was part of a network that had been raided multiple times but continued to operate illegally. Phumtham praised the local community efforts in assisting the authorities and encouraged others to report suspicious activities.

The minister also noted that the den was likely part of a far larger group of illegal operators. Police are now working to follow the financial trail in hopes of dismantling the network's higher-level organizers.

This crackdown aims not just at shutting down the site but also at gathering intelligence on the wider network and those who orchestrate it. The illegal gambling operations in Bangkok, including those possibly connected to the illegal gaming hall in Don Muang, are typically organized by local criminal networks and syndicates.

Authorities believe that the den was just one piece of a much larger puzzle and are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the authorities.