Chinese embassies have warned overseas tourists to stay away from illegal betting dens after Israeli and Thai police raided dens that allegedly catered to Chinese speakers.
Police raided a Tel Aviv residence on June 4, where they arrested eight Chinese nationals, the Jerusalem Post reported.
Officials also confiscated over $341,000 in cash, a Glock handgun, two other assault weapons, gambling paraphernalia, and two laptop computers.
Israeli Police: Chinese Suspects Detained in Tel Aviv
Israeli police confirmed the eight suspects are all Chinese passport-holders and are aged between 40 and 53.
They are also questioning the house’s owner, described as a 53-year-old Tel Aviv resident.
The Chinese Embassy in Israel responded by noting that Israeli police have “raided several underground gambling dens” in recent weeks.
“The embassy has received calls for help from Chinese citizens who have suffered significant financial losses due to gambling,” the embassy said in a statement. “They have lost years of hard-earned savings and now face deportation.”
Chinese citizens in Israel must note that “organizing or participating in gambling is illegal,” the embassy added.
“All gambling schemes in Israel are scams, and participation will ultimately lead to financial ruin. The embassy urges compatriots to abide by the law and stay away from gambling,” the embassy concluded.
Thailand Police Issue Warning
In Thailand, meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok has issued a similar warning as Thai police ramp up gambling crackdowns ahead of the World Cup.
Royal Thai Police officers say they are using artificial intelligence to identify suspects, close the net on gambling rings, and shut down online betting portals.
Officers also say they will take steps to curb youth gambling, especially soccer betting during the World Cup.
The crackdown has seen Thai police raid multiple gambling dens that cater to Chinese tourists in recent weeks.
In one recent, high-profile incident, several Chinese citizens suffered injuries after trying to escape a police raid on a “VIP gambling den” in Pattaya.
Police said suspects were hospitalized after frightened gamblers jumped out of a second-floor window onto a tiled patio.
“In recent years, police have discovered several Chinese citizens involved in gambling overseas. These citizens have suffered greatly as a result,” said the Chinese Embassy in Thailand in its own statement. “They have suffered huge financial losses. Some have committed serious criminal cases such as kidnapping, extortion, and illegal detention, which seriously threaten their personal safety.”
The embassy instructed Chinese tourists to contact it or the Thai Tourist Police if they heard of any gambling activities involving Chinese nationals.
Chinese police, meanwhile, continue their own crackdown on illegal betting dens.
Officers in Shenzhen arrested four men and one woman in a raid on a grocery store that police said doubled as a mahjong betting arena.
All the suspects have made full confessions, the Chinese media outlet Shenzhen News Network reported.
Police in Shandong Province, meanwhile, have made seven arrests in a raid on a mahjong betting ring that met late at night in a bid to avoid detection.
The Chinese media outlet Binzhou reported that Wudi County police staked out the ring for several days before making their move.
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