PHUKET: Eight Koreans who responded to job ads in their homeland found themselves working in an illegal online sports betting operation on Phuket, the Thailand holiday island's police said today.
The Koreans, arrested in raids at addresses in Eva Town, Phuket City, yesterday, are likely to be punished then deported.
''One reason why the operation was on Phuket is because the penalties for this kind of illegal gambling are not as heavy here as they are in Korea,'' Phuket Police Commander Major General Pachara Boonyasit told a media conference.
''In Korea, you could be jailed for up to five year and face heavy fines as well.''
Gambling on football, basketball, baseball volleyball and other sports was capable of generating an income of 100,000 baht a day or up to 100 million baht in a full year, the police chief said.
The eight men came to the island three months ago to set up the operation, which relied on members registering so they could bet.
Punishment in Thailand could be up to three years' jail and/or a 60,000 baht fine. Coincidentally, that was the monthly wage the men were offered when they applied for job ads in Korea.
The eight men are Lee Seok Joong, 30, Joo Seung Oh, 28, Han Hong Hee, 28, Kim Young Jae, 33, Oh See Won, 35, Lee Jungmin, 31, Moon Hyuncheal, 34, and Lee Kang Young, 35.
Investigators are still anxious to know whether the operation mastermind is in Thailand or Korea.
The eight may find themselves fined and deported speedily.
The Koreans, arrested in raids at addresses in Eva Town, Phuket City, yesterday, are likely to be punished then deported.
''One reason why the operation was on Phuket is because the penalties for this kind of illegal gambling are not as heavy here as they are in Korea,'' Phuket Police Commander Major General Pachara Boonyasit told a media conference.
''In Korea, you could be jailed for up to five year and face heavy fines as well.''
Gambling on football, basketball, baseball volleyball and other sports was capable of generating an income of 100,000 baht a day or up to 100 million baht in a full year, the police chief said.
The eight men came to the island three months ago to set up the operation, which relied on members registering so they could bet.
Punishment in Thailand could be up to three years' jail and/or a 60,000 baht fine. Coincidentally, that was the monthly wage the men were offered when they applied for job ads in Korea.
The eight men are Lee Seok Joong, 30, Joo Seung Oh, 28, Han Hong Hee, 28, Kim Young Jae, 33, Oh See Won, 35, Lee Jungmin, 31, Moon Hyuncheal, 34, and Lee Kang Young, 35.
Investigators are still anxious to know whether the operation mastermind is in Thailand or Korea.
The eight may find themselves fined and deported speedily.
How dare they! Don't they know running gambling rackets is a Thai only occupation?
Posted by Arun Muruga on June 4, 2015 17:49