Crackdown on Online Gambling Syndicate

In a coordinated operation across Uttara and Turag, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested nine individuals, including six Chinese nationals, on allegations of involvement in an organised online gambling and money laundering network.

The arrests were made on Wednesday morning following intelligence-led raids on several residential flats suspected of being used as operational hubs. A press briefing on the matter was later held on Thursday at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road in the capital.

According to the DB, the suspects were allegedly running a coordinated digital gambling operation targeting users through fake websites and social media promotions. Investigators said the group used attractive offers such as “deposit bonuses” and promises of high returns to lure victims into fraudulent betting platforms. Financial transactions were reportedly conducted through multiple mobile financial service channels, making the flow of illicit funds harder to trace.

Items recovered during the raids

Law enforcement officials confirmed the recovery of a significant quantity of electronic equipment and financial materials believed to be linked to the operation. These include SIM management devices capable of handling hundreds of connections, mobile phones, laptops, foreign identification documents, cash, and a vehicle.

Arrested individuals

Seized materials (summary)

• Three GSM/VoIP gateway devices (64-port SIM modules)
• One 8-port and one 256-port GSM module system
• Approximately 280 SIM cards from various telecom operators
• Multiple laptops and around 20 smartphones
• Cash amounting to approximately BDT 605,000
• Passports and national identity documents of foreign nationals
• One Toyota microbus

DB officials stated that preliminary interrogation suggests the group operated as part of a wider transnational syndicate engaged in online gambling, fraudulent digital transactions, and cross-border fund transfers. Authorities suspect that substantial sums were being channelled abroad, with indications pointing towards transfers linked to networks outside Bangladesh, including destinations in China.

Additional Commissioner of the Detective Branch, Md. Shফিকুল ইসলাম, said that the operation was initiated after continuous cyber monitoring detected suspicious advertisements circulating across platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Telegram. These promoted gambling portals with misleading profit claims and encouraged users to deposit money through mobile banking services.

He further noted that cases have been filed under the Cyber Security Ordinance at Ramna Police Station, and all suspects are currently in custody for further investigation.

The authorities have indicated that the investigation will continue to identify additional members of the network and trace the full extent of the financial transactions involved.