Armed football betting ring busted in Vietnam

An illegal football betting ring, operating across many cities and provinces in Vietnam and dangerously armed with guns and various other weapons, was successfully busted in a crack down on Thursday, said Ho Sy Tien, acting head of the Investigative Police Agency on Social Order under the Ministry of Public Security.

An illegal football betting ring, operating across many cities and provinces in Vietnam and dangerously armed with guns and various other weapons, was successfully busted in a crack down on Thursday, said Ho Sy Tien, acting head of the Investigative Police Agency on Social Order under the Ministry of Public Security.

Gang members of the illegal football betting ring in custody along with their arms (Photo: SGGP)
Gang members of the illegal football betting ring in custody along with their arms (Photo: SGGP)

According to Mr. Tien, his department coordinated with the highly effective crime prevention department and police forces in Hanoi and Bac Ninh Province to nab all the gang members and their leader.

The ringleader of this illegal racket was 33-year-old Pham Van Cuong, who was arrested along with his cronies, Ngo Van Dang and Le Van Nhuan from Bac Ninh Province; and Dao Ngoc Linh, Vo Thanh Tam, Nguyen Minh Tu and Do Nghiem Thanh An from Hanoi.

Police seized six automobiles, eight guns, hundreds of bullets, 10 knifes, swords and cudgels from their den.

They also seized about VND500 million (US$24,000) and $2,600 in cash, besides other equipment like fax machines, laptops and credit cards worth billions of dong.

According to Mr. Tien, the betting racketeers were operating across many provinces and cities in the country and even acted as intermediaries for foreign bankers.

The gang was also lending money for betting purposes and in any event of debtors not paying back, they used violent force to extract back the money.

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