Around 50 foreign nationals were arrested along with gambling-related equipment at an illegal online casino in Tachileik, eastern Shan State.

On the afternoon of April 2, junta authorities raided the Regina Hotel in Hsanhseng (B) Ward, arresting around 50 foreign nationals allegedly involved in illegal gambling and telecom scam operations, a local source told Shan Herald.

“It used to be a well-known hotel. I heard all 50 of those arrested were Thai nationals, including women. But everyone already knew the hotel had a casino. The arrests were probably because it failed to pay the amount the junta demanded as payoff. Hundreds of thousands of Thai baht were also seized,” he said.

It is reported that at least 6 million Thai baht, along with computers and related equipment, were seized during the raid.

There have already been crackdowns by the junta on telecom scam compounds and gambling dens in Shan State, but they have never been fully eliminated and continue to operate.

On March 3, the junta raided a telecom scam operation at the International Hotel in Tachileik’s Mekhaung 2 Ward, arresting 393 foreign nationals working there.