The police apprehended the suspects. — Photo bocongan.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — A joint operation of Vietnamese and Lao police have dismantled a major cross-border online gambling ring that enabled thousands of people to place illegal bets worth nearly VNĐ1.3 trillion (US$50 million), Việt Nam's Ministry of Public Security said on Friday.

The police have raided several locations in the Laotian capital, Vientiane, where they found Vietnamese nationals managing gambling websites and running online betting platforms using computers and mobile phones.

The ring was allegedly led by 44-year-old Mai Anh Việt, a Hà Nội resident, who partnered with Nguyễn Hữu Sơn, 41, from HCM City. According to the police, the two arranged to use foreign-hosted gambling websites and related services to operate the scheme.

Việt is accused of recruiting fellow Vietnamese citizens to travel to Laos and assigning close relatives to run the gambling sites in rotating shifts. Others were hired in Việt Nam to promote and livestream the betting platforms on social media.

The police said they seized 35 mobile phones, 12 desktop computers, and 25 laptops during the raids in Laos. On May 19, Lao authorities handed over 29 Vietnamese suspects along with all confiscated devices and documents to Vietnamese police.

The investigation later expanded across Việt Nam, with the police searching properties and summoning 10 suspects linked to the operation.

Officers seized additional phones, a computer, and livestreaming equipment believed to have been used to advertise the gambling services.

Investigators said the ring tracked players' weekly winnings and losses, handled payments with overseas gambling providers, paid salaries to staff, and split the illegal profits among members.

So far, 31 individuals have been charged - 27 with organising gambling and four with gambling - and the investigation is ongoing, according to the ministry. — VNS