Nghe An is resolutely fighting against gambling crimes.

Authorities dismantled numerous large-scale gambling rings.

According to authorities, while gambling previously took place in traditional, direct, and small-scale forms, in recent years, high-tech gambling has become increasingly sophisticated and deceptive, especially as perpetrators exploit science and technology to gamble.

According to a report by the Steering Committee for Crime Prevention, Social Evils Control, and the Emulation Movement for National Security Protection in Nghe An province, in 2022, the province detected 609 cases involving 3,268 individuals engaged in gambling (of which 276 cases and 298 individuals were prosecuted), recovering over 10 billion VND; compared to 2021, there was a decrease of 258 cases and 995 individuals.

In the first six months of 2023, law enforcement agencies in the province continued to dismantle many large-scale gambling rings and networks.

Police are taking statements from Gian Tu Cong, the ringleader of an 80 billion VND online football betting ring. (Photo: HN)

Recently, the Vinh City Police have initiated legal proceedings and indicted nine defendants for "Organizing and participating in gambling" in the form of football betting. This is a large-scale online gambling ring operating through football betting, led by Gian Tu Cong (born in 1991), residing in Ha Huy Tap ward (Vinh City), currently living in Ho Chi Minh City.

This network was highly organized and employed numerous tricks to evade law enforcement. The suspect, Gian Tu Cong, used a master account to organize gambling in the form of football betting on the website "bong88.comalong with several other individuals both inside and outside the province. All gambling transactions of this group were conducted online via smartphones. Initially, authorities have proven that the amount of money transacted by the suspects in the form of football betting from April 2023 until the time of their arrest was over 80 billion VND.

The suspects involved in an 80 billion VND online football betting ring have been arrested. Photo: HN

Previously, on May 26th, the Criminal Police Department of Nghe An Provincial Police and the Nghi Loc District Police jointly coordinated the simultaneous arrest and search of the residences of 10 individuals residing in Nghi Loc District and Vinh City, seizing 1 iPad, 13 mobile phones of various types, and 1 sheet of paper recording lottery numbers. The ringleaders of the gambling operation were two individuals: Tran Danh Dung (born in 1983), residing in Vinh City, and Tran Thi Kim Anh (born in 1997), residing in Nghi Loc District.

To operate the gambling ring, Dung and Anh colluded with several other individuals, employing sophisticated tactics to evade the police, such as: frequently using phone numbers not registered to them, and using internet-connected phones to log into applications like Zalo and Telegram to receive and send lottery-related messages.

The two ringleaders of the gambling ring worth over 10 billion VND are Tran Danh Dung and Tran Thi Kim Anh. (Photo: HN)

The suspects operated in a clandestine manner, frequently moving around or staying indoors while receiving lottery slips, and installing surveillance cameras to facilitate their criminal activities. Initially, authorities have proven that the total amount of money transacted by the suspects in lottery gambling from the beginning of May 2023 until their arrest was over 10 billion VND. On the day of their arrest alone, the suspects gambled nearly 500 million VND.

Currently, the individuals involved in gambling activities are very diverse, ranging from workers, civil servants, students, businesspeople, and traders... and are not only concentrated in urban areas but also in rural and mountainous regions. Some gambling rings are run by women.

The individuals involved in the gambling ring were led by Le Thi Thuy, residing in Quan Bau ward, and Le Khac Toan, residing in Ha Huy Tap ward, Vinh city. (Photo: Archival image)

For example, on March 15th, the Criminal Police Department of the Provincial Police, in coordination with the Criminal Investigation Department of the Ministry of Public Security and the Quan Bau Ward Police (Vinh City), conducted simultaneous arrests and searches of the residences of 17 individuals residing in Vinh City, seizing 181 million VND in cash; 1 tablet computer, 20 mobile phones, and other related evidence.

The police identified Le Thi Thuy (born in 1969), residing in Quan Bau ward, and Le Khac Toan (born in 1980), residing in Ha Huy Tap ward, as the two ringleaders of the gambling ring. Thuy has three previous convictions for "Gambling". Also in May, the Yen Thanh District Police prosecuted 12 individuals for "Gambling" in the form of using social media to receive lottery numbers. Nguyen Thi Trang (born in 1988), residing in Dong Thanh commune (Yen Thanh district), was identified as the ringleader.

Authorities say that investigating and tracing online gambling rings is very difficult because the groups involved live in many districts, cities, and towns within and outside the province, and even abroad. They operate very discreetly and sophisticatedly, using many tricks to conceal their criminal activities, constantly erasing traces, and changing their methods of operation, making it difficult for the police to investigate and trace them. Combating this type of crime requires police forces to have a deep understanding of technology, sharp professional skills, courage, and modern technical equipment.

Intensify the struggle

Given the complex nature of organized gambling and gambling crimes, especially in cyberspace, with increasingly serious consequences, diverse participants in terms of age and background, occurring in almost all localities, causing many negative repercussions and giving rise to many other types of crimes, on May 27, 2023, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Luu Quang signed Directive 16/CT-TTg on strengthening the prevention and fight against crimes and violations of the law related to organized gambling and gambling activities.

The suspects involved in a gambling ring worth over 10 billion VND have been arrested. (Photo: HN)

In Nghe An province, since 2021, the Provincial People's Committee has issued Directive No. 17/CT-UBND dated May 19, 2021, on strengthening measures to prevent and combat high-tech crimes, including organized gambling, gambling, and online football betting. In this directive, the Provincial People's Committee requires relevant agencies to strengthen intelligence gathering, proactively detect, investigate, and strictly handle criminal acts and violations of the law in cyberspace; and further improve the efficiency and quality of receiving and resolving crime reports and requests for prosecution. Launching intensive campaigns to crack down on crime, vigorously and effectively combating high-tech crimes, especially targeting individuals, networks, and criminal groups involved in fraud, property appropriation, organized gambling, and large-scale online gambling and football betting, spanning multiple provinces and involving foreign elements... Coordinating investigations, prosecutions, and trials of high-tech crimes to ensure strict adherence to the law.

Evidence seized in the 80 billion VND online football betting case. (Photo: HN)

Recently, on May 21, 2023, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 4177/UBND-NC regarding the implementation of Directive 16/TTg of the Prime Minister on strengthening the prevention and fight against crimes and violations of the law related to organized gambling and gambling activities. In this document, the Provincial Police Department is assigned to lead and coordinate with relevant departments and agencies to advise the Provincial People's Committee on developing an effective plan for implementing Directive 16...

However, in addition to the involvement of law enforcement agencies, to prevent gambling-related crimes, each citizen also needs to raise awareness of the negative consequences of gambling, as well as be vigilant against the tricks of those who organize gambling, and refrain from participating in this vice in any form. Because gambling not only causes material damage and destabilizes public order and security, but it is also a violation of the law.