On Monday morning, Chinese soldiers raided a house in the Muang district and arrested 53 people.

A Bangkok Post article showed that 53 suspects were running an online gaming operation, with other local reports claiming the group is made up of 40 Chinese nationals, 12 Burmese and 1 Filipino.

The raid was led by the Commander of Infantry Company 721, Captain Nithinan Thanancha.

The army unit surrounded a resort in the Muang District, before searching a large house with a red roof. The house was reported by the local Crime Suppression Division police, which claimed it was being used as a call centre for an online gambling network.

In addition, locals also filed complaints as they became concerned large gatherings at the property could increase the rate of Covid-19 infections in the area.

Police say they had spent over a month investigating the operation; they say the group had booked out the whole resort and even hired locals as bodyguards.

Then, on Monday morning, an army unit broke in and searched the house. The unit managed to round up 53 people that were operating the call centre.

Seventh Infantry Regiment Commander, Colonel Suchin Sapsin, said the suspects were handed over to the Mok Cham Pae police. 

In total. 300 phones, computers and other assets were also seized and are being kept as evidence, while the police say cartons of cigarettes that were smuggled into the country have been recovered.

The group was also checked for Covid-19 by medical staff at the Srisangwan Hospital in Mae Hong Son.