Nguyễn Vũ Tuấn, leader of an illegal lottery ring, was arrested in HCM City on Thursday, and police seized more than US$48,000 in cash and with phones and laptops. |
HCM CITY -- The HCM City police on April 15 busted an illegal lottery ring on which punters are thought to have bet as much as VNĐ500 billion (US$21.6 million).
The gambling, known as ‘số đề’, is based on the state lottery with betters picking a number from 0 to 99 and wagering stakes on it for payoffs of up to 80 times.
The kingpin of the ring, Nguyễn Vũ Anh Tuấn, 31, of the city's Gò Vấp District, was arrested along with six others.
Officers caught the suspects in the act and seized VNĐ800 million ($34,600) and $14,000 in cash, phones, laptops and other equipment they were using.
The police said the ring had been operating since 2018, but it took investigators so long time because it was well organised and always had lookouts outside the gambling locations.
The investigation continues. VNS