Hundreds nabbed in gambling den raid in Tao Poon

Deputy national police chief Pol General Panupong Singhara na Ayutthaya led a team of 100 officers yesterday on an early-morning raid into a major gambling den in Bangkok’s Tao Poon area and arrested 199 patrons and a worker.
Several people present managed to flee because police found it difficult to navigate the den’s complicated exit system. Meanwhile, some of the suspects have alleged that police fired tear gas at them – a claim that has been dismissed.
Panupong declined to provide details on the raid, saying that the same strategy would be used to crack down on other dens as per Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung’s policy. Panupong also said he would launch an inquiry to see whether any officers from the Tao Poon police station were involved in the den.
The deputy chief also dismissed claims that police fired tear gas into the den before arresting the patrons.
However, a dishwasher, identified only as Duan, claimed that she had seen three or four police officers in plain clothes come to the den a few days before the raid, which she said started with police firing tear gas into the den.
National police chief Pol General Priewpan Damapong said his inquiry showed that some officers may have used their personal tear-gas sprays in self-defence. He added that there were four major gambling dens in Bangkok, in the Phya Thai, Pratunam, Thon Buri and Tao Poon areas.
Meanwhile, Chalerm said police had seized Bt45 million worth of gambling chips during the 4am raid yesterday.
Metropolitan Police deputy chief Pol Maj-General Amnuay Nimmano said 86 men and 114 women had been arrested, adding that the gamblers were playing baccarat and kam tua, a game involving bets on how many seeds are held in each hand. He said police also seized gambling equipment and a pistol.
Suspects who have confessed will be taken to court, while those awaiting interrogation are under police detention. He added that though he personally thought it was acceptable for police officers to use tear gas in self-defence, those who insist that it had been used indiscriminately could file a complaint against the officers and an investigation would be launched.
As police file charges against suspects for gambling – a charge that is punishable by up to three months in jail and Bt2,000 in fines – they also plan to seek an arrest warrant for the den’s landlord and call on the Anti-Money-Laundering Office to look into the case because it involves more than 100 suspects and more than Bt10 million.
In related news, the Ratchadaphisek Criminal Court yesterday postponed the reading of a verdict in the case of businessman Phaijit “Por Pratunam” Thammaroj-pinij and eight others to February 21. The court said it had many outstanding cases and was behind schedule because it had to be closed for two weeks during the flood disaster. Phaijit and his accomplices are being tried for allegedly operating a gambling den, possessing stolen items and charging too much interest.