Operation to shut down payment systems for 2 online gambling networks

Central Investigation Police launched an operation to shut down the online gambling payment system of Askmepay and Hengpay networks, with a monthly turnover of 5 billion baht, seizing luxury cars and assets totaling more than 400 million baht. Pol. Maj. Gen. Athip Pongsiwapai, Commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division, announced the results of the Technology Crime Suppression Division's (TCSD) operations in arresting a businessman who is the heir of a major politician for opening a full-scale gambling website and setting up an online gambling payment system via the Askmepay and Hengpay networks. The seizure of evidence worth over 400 million baht included three luxury cars, 12 mobile phones, one notebook, bank account books and cash cards. Following the investigation by the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) Division 3, the website https://69pgslot.com was found to have illegally organized online casino gambling via the Internet. The payment system is automatic deposit and withdrawal via bank accounts and deposits via the Ask Me Pay system, which is similar to the private wallet system in general. It uses the QR Code scanning method of Vpay and the QR Code of the company named Heng Online 888 Co., Ltd. or Heng Pay Co., Ltd. The working process is that when the money scanned via the QR Code will be sent to the account of the juristic person, Heng Pay Co., Ltd., and then the money will be transferred to the gambling website's mule account. The Ask Me Pay payment system is intended to be used for criminal activities, especially gambling businesses, because the system allows criminals to avoid the bank's facial scanning system in the case of large transfers. An investigation found that there has been more than 2,500 million baht circulating in the system per month for the past 6-7 months. From the investigation, it was possible to request the Criminal Court to issue arrest warrants for suspects in this network, a total of 14 arrest warrants, with 2 arrest warrants being considered key figur es: Mr. Narot or Hu, aged 33, as the owner of the payment system and director of Heng Pay Co., Ltd. and director of HB Middle Group Co., Ltd., and Mr. Narayut or Snook, aged 39, the owner of the gambling website https://69pgslot.com. The remaining suspects are mule accounts and account openers. All of them were prosecuted for jointly organizing electronic gambling without permission from an official, colluding by agreement of two or more people to commit money laundering, and committing money laundering because of the colluding and money laundering. Later, the police officers of the Technology Crime Suppression Division 3 searched 3 locations: a house in Soi Lat Phrao 87, Khlong Chan Subdistrict, Bang Kapi District, where they arrested Mr. Narayut or Snook. The second location was a house in Bang Chak Subdistrict, Phra Khanong District, which is the location of Heng Online 888 Co., Ltd. and Heng Pay Co., Ltd., where they arrested Mr. Narot or Hu. The last location was a house on Khlong Song Road, Bang Chan S ubdistrict, Khlong Sam Wa District, where they seized a luxury car. For the list of seized assets, there are 118 items, with a total value of assets seized in this case of more than 400 million baht. Initially, from the interrogation, Mr. Narayut confessed to all charges, while Mr. Narot denied all charges. Pol. Col. Chitsanupong Waidee, Commander of the Technology Crime Suppression Division 3, revealed that online gambling and technology crime groups have now changed their payment methods from using bank accounts, which are at risk of being detected, to using a wallet system via QR Code, which is directly linked to the accounts of private companies linked to the wallet system. This makes it more difficult to detect financial trails and investigate and find the perpetrators. In addition, large amounts of money can be transferred without having to scan faces like in general bank accounts. This is a loophole that lawbreakers can exploit, even though the system is intended for online commerce or e-commerce. Th e Askmepay network is considered a fairly large payment system nationwide. Therefore, further investigation is needed to determine whether the system is involved in facilitating the perpetrators to exploit it, including whether there are foreigners who have financial connections. In addition, the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD) police also found that programmers were hired to create many similar systems for the benefit of technology crime groups. The TCSD will continue to monitor these groups to bring them to justice in the future. Pol. Col. Athip said that it is in line with the government's policy to arrest the big players in the technology crime network rather than the minor ones. Therefore, in this case, the police chose to investigate and arrest the website producer and the board of directors of the payment system company, who are considered the big players in this network. In addition, the Technology Crime Suppression Division police found that there are still networks or online gambling that disguise themselves by attaching links to online gambling websites on various social media, such as pasting links in comments and inviting messages, including posting links attached to pages or pictures with quotes, and hiring influencers to promote online gambling websites, which are considered illegal actions. In the past, the Technology Crime Suppression Division has arrested and prosecuted more than 9 people, almost 10 cases. The Technology Crime Suppression Division will continue to investigate and crack down on these gambling websites, including those who support and encourage advertising to play these online gambling websites until they are gone. It was reported that Mr. Narot or Hu, the accused who is a director of Heng Pay Company Limited and a director of HB Middle Group Company Limited, is the heir of a famous politician in the high society circle. Source: Thai News Agency