Wanted gambling kingpin She Zhijiang is being extradited to China from Bangkok on Wednesday, Thai police announced. This follows a Thai court decision earlier this week that upheld an extradition order after a legal battle lasting more than three years.
She Zhijiang, 43, a Chinese national who also holds a Cambodian passport, was arrested by Thai police in August 2022 on an international warrant and an Interpol red notice issued at the request of Beijing. Chinese authorities have accused him of operating illegal online gambling networks.
A Thai criminal court first approved his extradition in May 2024, and another court upheld the ruling on Monday after an appeal submitted by She’s legal team.
“The Chinese have asked for this suspect, which is a high priority for China,” said Police Lieutenant General Jirabhop Bhuridej, an assistant commissioner-general.
According to a Thai police statement issued on Wednesday, She will be extradited to China to stand trial on charges of operating illegal casinos and gambling websites, and using Myanmar as a base for illegal operations and money laundering.
China has dispatched a plane to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport to collect the suspect and has expressed gratitude to Thai authorities for their cooperation.
“This demonstrates the high level of our cooperation,” said Zhao Mengtao, a counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Bangkok. Zhao added that both countries will continue strengthening collaboration to combat organised crime, including online gambling and cyber scams.
Responding to the extradition, She’s lawyer, Sanya Eadjongdee, described the process as “unusual,” though he did not provide further details. He said She continues to deny all allegations.
At the time of his arrest, She was the head of a gambling empire that included Shwe Kokko, a US$15 billion casino, entertainment, and tourism project located along the Thai-Myanmar border.
In September, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned nine individuals and companies linked to Shwe Kokko for alleged involvement in regional scam and human trafficking networks.
Border regions connecting Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia have increasingly become hubs for online fraud since the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the United Nations, billions of dollars have been generated from the trafficking of hundreds of thousands of people forced to work in these compounds.
