Miraflores House, on 1 rai of land, had a Rolls Royce, Porsche and Mercedes Benz parked in bays when a police force linked with Provincial Police Region Two’s Transnational Crime Divisions pulled up on Tuesday to execute a search warrant for the property. Six Chinese nationals were subsequently found to be living at the site including the man who shot at police. Mr Jang Yang, on Tuesday night, was taken to Huai Yai Police Station.
A 35-year-old Chinese national was arrested on Tuesday night and charged with attempted murder after attacking and wounding two police officers with a submachine gun earlier in the day as they executed a search warrant at a luxury mansion in the Banglamung area of Pattaya which they suspected of having links with international crime, Chinese Triad gangs and what the police chief later indicated, on Wednesday, was an illegal online Chinese gambling operation being run offshore.
The National Police Commissioner Police General Suwat Jangyodsuk has revealed that a dramatic shooting in Pattaya on Tuesday where two police officers were shot and seriously injured by a Chinese national as they attempted to execute a search warrant may be linked to illegal online gambling activity.
The detection of illegal gambling and even loan sharking operations linked to the Chinese mainland has now become routine for Thai law enforcement agencies.
Illegal lending app run by Chinese staff charging up to 20% interest per week taken out by immigration police
The dramatic incident unfolded on Tuesday, May 19th, at a luxury property near the Phoenix Golf Course in the Banglamung area of Pattaya.
Miraflores House is a luxury mansion that stands on 1 rai of land.
Police arrived on Tuesday in a fleet of cars to execute a search warrant at the luxury mansion associated with unusual wealth and suspicious activity
On Tuesday, May 19th, it was reported that a fleet of three to four police cars arrived at the property in the middle of the day to execute a search warrant issued by the Provincial Court.
The background to the case is that police had begun investigating activity at the house due to what looked like evidence of unusual wealth.
When police arrived at the mansion, they found three luxury cars parked in front of the home in built-in bays including Porsche, Rolls Royce and Mercedes Benz models. All had Bangkok licence plates.
House rented to a Chinese national
The house was rented to a Chinese national and it was known that other Chinese nationals were also living within the property as well as two maids and a gardener.
Police suspected the home was the headquarters to some illicit enterprise linked with organised crime and may have Triad links in particular to an online gambling racket.
Gardener heard police knock at the door which was followed by gunfire from inside the house
41-year-old Natthawut Donchaisong, a gardener, spoke to the press after the violence broke out on Tuesday.
He said the police officers, after they pulled up, approached the front door of the house made of glass. They knocked two times.
There then followed bursts of gunfire. He estimated that over a dozen shots were fired by someone inside the house.
Police unit was part of the local Transnational Crime Suppression Force, two senior police officers suffered serious injuries after they came under fire
The police team which had arrived at the house were working with Provincial Police Region 2’s Transnational Crime Suppression Force.
Two senior officers were injured in the gunfire.
Police Captain Phanthep Sribunnag was hit three times in the shoulder, chest and stomach while Police Senior Sergeant Major Kreetha Thipnate was hit in the right leg.
Police Captain Phanthep was reported, on Tuesday night, to be in a serious condition after being taken to Chonburi Hospital for treatment while his colleague, Police Senior Sergeant Major Kreetha, was taken to Bangkok Pattaya Hospital.
Elite armed police unit called in on Tuesday evening as combined police force seized the mansion
After the shooting and the injuries to officers, police reinforcements were called in and the elite Sawad task force and tactical unit, armed with Heckler & Koch MP7 submachine guns, was deployed to protect local Royal Thai Police officers many of them also armed, as they moved to execute a new arrest warrant against those inside the property.
Police led by Police Lieutenant General Thiti Saengsawang, the acting Chief of Police for Chonburi, including Immigration Bureau and Tourist police supported by the highly armed elite unit in the vanguard took control of Miraflores House and detained all those inside.
Computers and materials were taken by police, 35-year-old Chinese man Jang Yang charged with the attempted murder of the two policemen
Police also conducted a search of the house and found computers and materials that were taken as part of the now expanded investigation into those living at the property as well as the shooting incident on Tuesday.
Police are reported to have arrested 35-year-old Chinese national Jang Yang who is being linked to the gun attack on the police officers.
He was taken to Huai Yai Police Station and has been charged with the attempted murder.
5 other Chinese nationals staying in the house as well as two maids from Myanmar and the gardener were also held by police for questioning.
An automatic submachine gun was retrieved at the scene along with spent cartridges.
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Further reading:
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