Police bust 7 billion VND football betting ring in Nghe An.

On the morning of July 2nd, Lieutenant Colonel Bui Van Ngoc, Deputy Head of the Yen Thanh District Police, announced that the unit had successfully cracked a gambling case involving football betting, arresting 7 suspects and initially determining that the amount of money transacted was 7 billion VND.football betting.

Earlier in June 2021, through intelligence gathering, the Yen Thanh District Police discovered a gambling ring operating through football betting, led by Ngo Van Thinh (born in 1996), residing in Hamlet 8, Dien Yen Commune, Dien Chau District. After verifying the signs of criminal activity by Ngo Van Thinh, the Yen Thanh District Police established a special task force to combat and dismantle the ring.

The investigation team determined that the suspects had experience in criminal activities with extremely sophisticated methods and tactics, frequently using the Zalo social network to communicate, changing phone numbers, or meeting in person to discuss methods and tactics of operation, in order to avoid detection by the police.

The individuals involved in the gambling ring have been arrested. Photo: An Phu

The organizational structure and operating rules of this network have been identified: Ngo Van Thinh was the mastermind, directly accessing the Viva88.net website to open accounts for gambling in the form of football betting on various tournaments in different countries and continents.

After obtaining an account for gambling, Thinh directly contacted Nguyen The Tam (born in 1995), residing in Phuc Tho hamlet, Duc Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, and Vo Van Cuong (born in 1997), residing in Thi Tu hamlet, Tan Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, to act as intermediaries and agents to organize football betting for gamblers in Yen Thanh district (including Tan Thanh, Duc Thanh, Phu Thanh, and Do Thanh communes). They then transferred all the betting money to Thinh to receive a percentage of the betting commission.

On June 27, 2021, having received information that the suspects were organizing gambling activities for bettors in Yen Thanh district on football matches of the Euro 2020 European Championship, the special task force decided to "Break the Case".

Leaders of Yen Thanh district congratulate the special task force on their achievements. Photo: An Phu

At approximately 4:00 AM on June 28, 2021, the special task force organized 7 working groups, in coordination with the Tan Thanh Commune Police (Yen Thanh District) and the Dien Yen Commune Police (Dien Chau District), to simultaneously arrest and conduct urgent searches of the residences of 7 individuals involved in organizing football betting: Ngo Van Thinh (born 1996) residing in Dien Yen Commune, Dien Chau District; Nguyen The Tam (born 1995); Vo Van Cuong (born 1997); Dang Van Nam (born 1995); Hoang Cong Dong (born 1984); Dang Viet Vuong (born 1993); and Trinh Thanh Binh (born 1990), all residing in Yen Thanh District.

The seized items included over 100 million VND in cash, 9 mobile phones, 3 ATM cards, and the freezing of 3 related bank accounts.

At the investigative agency, the suspects initially confessed to all their gambling activities in the form of football betting. The investigation determined that from June 18, 2021 to June 28, 2021, Ngo Van Thinh organized gambling in the form of football betting through accounts on the Viva88.net website, with a total transaction amount exceeding 7 billion VND.

Currently, the Investigation Police Department of Yen Thanh District is consolidating the case file and continuing to expand the investigation.