US Treasury Dept. drops hammer on Laos’ King Romans Casino

The US Treasury Department has targeted the operator of a Laotian casino for alleged involvement in widespread trafficking in narcotics, wildlife and human beings.

On Tuesday, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) brought the hammer down on what it called the Zhao Wei Transnational Criminal Organization (Zhao Wei TCO).

A Chinese national, Zhao Wei is co-owner of the Kings Roman Casino (pictured) in the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) near Laos’ borders with both Thailand and Myanmar. The GTSEZ is a joint venture between Zhao and the Laotian government, which is said to hold a 20% stake, and is widely considered a hub for all manner of forbidden fruit.

The OFAC says the Zhao Wei TCO uses the Kings Roman Casino to store and distribute heroin, methamphetamine and other narcotics. Since 2014, Thai, Lao and Chinese authorities have seized large narcotics shipments that have been traced back to the casino.