Thai authorities accuse Kok An, who has close ties to Cambodia’s dictatorial leader Hun Sen, of running a transnational criminal operation centered around scam hubs. He is currently under investigation for his alleged role in managing these transnational scamming operations out of the Crown Casino complex, Thai police said at a press conference Tuesday.

Kok An is a former smuggler who became rich when he won the contract to be the sole distributor of British American Tobacco in Cambodia. He is one of the country’s richest men.

Background

The Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau (CCIB) of the Royal Thai Police raided properties linked to Kok An, known as “the Godfather of Poipet,” in 19 locations across Thailand.

Scam Hub

Many reports have identified Poipet as a hub for cybercrime and for human trafficking and forced labor. Poipet’s scam centers have been tied to trafficking networks that recruit – and sometimes kidnap – vulnerable individuals from Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, and beyond.

In 2022, a Thai national fell to his death from an 18-story tower inside the complex while allegedly attempting to flee captivity. There have been several mysterious deaths at the Crown in the past few years. In September 2018, local media outlet CEN reported that a Chinese cook at the casino was killed after his head was smashed in on a toilet.

International Response

According to Nikkei Asia, a Thai national who fled Poipet in 2022 detailed a sophisticated extortion scheme at the Crown in which individuals wearing authentic Thai police uniforms – reportedly including former officers – extorted victims with fabricated charges and threats of prison.

Benedikt Hofmann, acting UNODC representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, said the raids marked a turning point.

This is a significant development bringing down the kind of network which exists across the Mekong,” he told Nikkei Asia. “It also shows how these networks operate seamlessly across different jurisdictions, taking advantage of the gaps in regional cooperation and cross-border investigations.”

Escalating Tensions

The arrest warrant will inflame already volatile relations between Thailand and Cambodia related to disputed border territories.