21 arrested in Rawai gambling raid

Chalong police arrested 21 people during a raid on an alleged illegal “shrimp-fish” gambling operation at a villa in Rawai on 1 November, seizing gambling equipment and more than B100,000 in cash.

The arrests comprised 19 alleged gamblers and two people suspected of transporting participants to and from the venue. Police said the operation had been organised discreetly, with participants told the location by word of mouth and taken there from a designated meeting point without being informed of the destination in advance.

Chalong Police Chief Pol Col Surasak Jaidee said some gamblers attempted to escape by jumping over the villa’s walls when officers arrived. The suspects face allegations of jointly organising unauthorised gambling and participating in illegal gambling involving wagers.

Police estimated that the operation had several hundred thousand baht in turnover. All 21 suspects were taken into custody for further legal proceedings.