Resolutely fight against, prevent, and eliminate gambling.
(Baonghean.vn) - Voters suggest: Gambling and illegal lottery activities are becoming increasingly prevalent in the province in general, and Yen Thanh district in particular, and measures are needed to address this issue.
Regarding this matter, the authorities have responded as follows:
Following the 15th session of the 16th Provincial People's Council, and in response to the opinions and recommendations of the province's voters and the directives of the Provincial People's Committee in Document No. 612/UBND-TH dated January 28, 2016, the Provincial Police Department directed police units and localities to continue advising Party committees and authorities at all levels to effectively implement major policies of the Party, the State, the Provincial Party Committee, and the Provincial People's Committee on the fight against crime and gambling...
Specifically, the Provincial Police Department advised the Provincial People's Committee to issue two plans and two official dispatches to direct all levels and sectors to participate in crime and social vice prevention and control, in conjunction with the prevention and control of gambling.
 |
| A group of individuals involved in gambling in Nghi Phu commune (Vinh City) were arrested by authorities in April 2016. (Photo: Trung Duc) |
During the implementation process, the Provincial Police leadership directed the Provincial Criminal Police Department to regularly strengthen coordination and provide professional guidance to the police forces of districts, cities, and towns in the fight against gambling crimes and vices, especially in Yen Thanh district and some key localities such as Vinh City, Nghi Loc, Dien Chau, Do Luong, Tan Ky, Nam Dan, Hoang Mai town, Quy Hop…
Based on the directives from the Provincial Police, the police forces of districts, cities, and towns have actively and proactively advised Party committees and authorities at all levels and coordinated with relevant agencies to comprehensively and seriously implement the work of preventing and combating gambling, in conjunction with ensuring security and order in the area.
- Thanks to the intensified efforts in preventing and combating gambling, this work has achieved many positive changes in recent times, most notably:
+ Coordinate with the Department of Information and Communications and relevant units to strengthen the management and inspection of Internet business activities in the area, closely monitor website addresses and IP addresses, focusing on addresses frequently accessed by "gambling" websites with servers located abroad, in order to proactively prevent and combat online gambling activities; coordinate with the Nghe An Lottery Company to strengthen the management of lottery ticket agents and contract employees, contributing to preventing and stopping malicious individuals from exploiting and organizing gambling in the form of lottery and betting...
+ Strengthen proactive operational measures to monitor the local situation and individuals involved in gambling activities, especially in key areas and routes. Focus on compiling lists of groups and individuals suspected of engaging in gambling, organizing gambling, or facilitating gambling; and identify gambling dens that are frequent, professional, or large-scale... in order to concentrate effective preventive and combat measures.
 |
| A group of individuals participating in gambling in Do Thanh commune, Yen Thanh district, were arrested by the police on April 4, 2016. (Photo: Trung Duc) |
+ Effectively manage residency and conditional business activities related to security and order, regularly inspect and rectify the operations of hotels, guesthouses, and lodging establishments... contributing to limiting the exploitation of these facilities by individuals for gambling purposes.
In the first four months of 2016, the police force throughout the province conducted inspections and rectified issues at more than 110 establishments with conditions related to security and order, including hotels, guesthouses, and lodging facilities. Through these inspections, the owners of these establishments and related individuals were required to sign commitments not to organize gambling and to cooperate with the police when they discover individuals exploiting lodging facilities for gambling purposes.
 |
| Criminal police in Dien Chau district discuss and identify individuals involved in gambling in the area. (Photo: Trung Duc) |
+ Continue to coordinate with relevant agencies, Party committees, and local authorities to improve the effectiveness of all aspects of criminal sentence enforcement for gambling offenses. This includes directing police forces at all levels to coordinate with relevant agencies to closely manage the activities of individuals with suspended or deferred sentences who are currently at large, as well as those serving sentences in communes, wards, and towns (primarily suspended sentences or non-custodial correctional sentences)... in order to proactively prevent, detect, and strictly handle cases of repeat gambling offenses.
- Focus on implementing a comprehensive set of operational measures, proactively attacking and cracking down on gambling; regularly launch campaigns to crack down on gambling in conjunction with campaigns to crack down on crime and social vices.
Results: From January 2016 to April 2016, the Nghe An Provincial Police discovered and arrested 375 cases involving 1,551 individuals engaged in gambling, seizing gambling money totaling approximately 2.2 billion VND (compared to the same period in 2015, there was an increase of 37 cases, 208 individuals, and 400 million VND in seized money). This included dismantling 82 complex gambling dens and arresting 510 professional gamblers; and apprehending 86 cases involving 196 individuals engaged in lottery and betting. 94 cases involving 520 defendants were prosecuted; 281 cases involving 1,031 individuals were fined administratively, resulting in the collection of over 1.2 billion VND for the state budget. In Yen Thanh district, the police force discovered and arrested 30 cases involving 130 individuals for gambling, seizing 305 million VND in cash and many related exhibits (including dismantling 11 complex gambling dens and arresting 70 professional gamblers; and arresting 3 cases involving 8 individuals gambling using lottery and betting methods). They initiated criminal investigations in 11 cases involving 57 defendants, imposed administrative penalties in 19 cases involving 73 defendants, and collected 160 million VND for the state budget. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Praesent |
-Regarding existing limitationsAlthough the police at all levels and localities have vigorously implemented prevention and combat measures, the situation of crime and gambling in the province remains complex, with some gambling activities still occurring frequently, especially gambling in the form of lottery and betting... This situation is mainly due to the following reasons:
+ Due to the impact of the difficult economic and social situation, some people are unemployed, some are lazy, and some, driven by greed, engage in gambling. The awareness of a segment of the population, including cadres, Party members, civil servants, and public employees, is still limited; they have not fully grasped the consequences and harms of gambling.
+ Some units, agencies, departments, and localities have not paid sufficient attention to the work of disseminating information and educating on the prevention and control of gambling, as well as the management and prevention of misconduct among cadres, Party members, civil servants, and employees. Some units and localities still show leniency and lack decisiveness in handling violations by cadres, Party members, civil servants, and employees.
 |
| Evidence seized in a gambling case. |
+ The methods and tactics used by gambling criminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated and cunning, employing various strategies to evade law enforcement agencies, such as: constructing permanent structures for gambling; organizing mobile gambling; using information technology and the internet for gambling; gambling using "virtual money" or "liquid money" through online accounts; and when arrested, gamblers often try to give evasive answers, refuse to disclose, or provide inaccurate information about the amount of money used for gambling… causing significant difficulties for the police in their fight against these crimes.
+ The penalties for gambling offenses are generally low and vary within a single penalty framework, including imprisonment, suspended sentences, non-custodial rehabilitation, and fines, thus lacking significant deterrent effect.
- To further address the issues raised in the voters' petitions, the Nghe An Provincial Police Department proposes the following to the Provincial People's Council and the Provincial People's Committee::
+ Strengthen the direction, management, and supervision of gambling prevention and control work in the province, especially the prevention of gambling among cadres, Party members, civil servants, public employees, and workers in agencies and units; and the handling of gambling crimes by law enforcement agencies.
 |
| Many cases involve large sums of money (illustrative image, Trung Duc). |
+ Research and propose to the National Assembly and competent authorities to regulate the amount of money brought into gambling dens as the amount used for gambling, in order to prevent loopholes that allow individuals to "circumvent the law" and evade the police in proving the value of money and objects used for gambling; and at the same time, to avoid public perception that the value of money and objects used for gambling seized in some cases is not large compared to the scale of the gambling operation.
+ Research and issue specific regulations to address the responsibility of heads of departments, levels, agencies, and units whose officials, Party members, civil servants, and employees under their management violate regulations related to gambling, and for localities where complex gambling problems occur, causing public outrage.
PV (TH)
