30-year-old 'monster' in Nghe An runs billion-dollar gambling ring

Nghe An Police Investigation Agency has just issued a decision to prosecute the case and prosecute 8 suspects to investigate the crime of "Gambling" in the form of lottery betting.

Among them, Duong Thi Lan (born in 1989), residing in block 9, Le Loi ward (Vinh city) was identified as the subject running this gambling ring. Lan operated under many agents in wards in the city and neighboring areas.

Subject Duong Thi Lan. Photo: Quynh Trang

After many days of surveillance, on June 23, when the subjects were gambling over the phone, working groups from the Criminal Police Department, Nghe An Police raided Lan's private home, catching the subjects gambling. At the scene, the police seized many related exhibits including phones, lottery boards, etc.

Previously, through the investigation, the Criminal Police Department discovered a gambling ring in Vinh City with daily transactions amounting to hundreds of millions of dong. Project 916D was established to combat it.

After a period of investigation and verification, the Task Force identified the operator of the line as Duong Thi Lan. This line has been operating for over a year with many extremely sophisticated methods of operation.

Lan directed the “agents” to use junk SIM cards to conduct transactions via phone and social networks. With a network covering almost all wards and communes in the area, whenever someone participates in gambling, the agents gather and send a text message to Lan to “eat” the difference in commission.

After each game, Lan proactively contacted the subjects to choose the form of payment for winnings and losses, and most transactions were made via bank accounts.

If they meet in person, Lan chooses areas with few people passing by and does not have a fixed location. In addition to discussing “work” with each other according to the leader’s regulations, the subjects limit the exchange of personal information and residence.

According to investigators, with the above methods and tricks and a network covering all areas in the city and neighboring areas, Lan's gambling ring transacted an average of 200 million VND or more per day, with some days the amount reaching nearly 1 billion VND.

In addition to Duong Thi Lan, seven of Lan's subordinate "agents" were arrested: Cao Thi Hien (residing in Quan Bau ward); Tran Thi Thai (residing in block 8, Le Mao ward); Duong Thi Phuong (residing in block 13, Cua Nam ward); Nguyen Thi Sam (residing in block 9, Le Loi ward), the couple Dau Duc Luong and Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung (residing in hamlet 16, Nghi Phu commune, Vinh city) and Hoang Phuong Thuy (residing in hamlet 9, Hoi Son commune, Anh Son district).

The case is under further investigation.