4, including 3 Chinese nationals, arrested over online gambling network laundering Tk250cr a month
During the raid, police seized 14 laptops, 16 smartphones, more than 6,000 active SIM cards of different mobile operators, 20 gateway machines, 26 bottles of foreign liquor and Tk209,700 in cash.
The Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police has arrested four members of an alleged fraud ring, including three Chinese nationals, accused of laundering Tk200-250 crore a month through online gambling.
The arrests were made during a raid at a six-storey building in the Bashundhara Residential Area last night (1 August), DB Chief and Additional Commissioner of Police Shafiqul Islam said at a press conference at the DMP Media Centre on Minto Road today.
The arrestees are Jhorna Chakma Ziana, 27, and Chinese nationals Liu Hui Zhang, 46, Wei Yuji, 30, and She Yi Ran, 42.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
During the raid, police seized 14 laptops, 16 smartphones, more than 6,000 active SIM cards of different mobile operators, and 20 gateway machines.
They also recovered 26 bottles of foreign liquor and Tk209,700 in cash.
According to Shafiqul Islam, Jhorna rented the entire building before subletting the fourth and fifth floors to the three Chinese nationals.
He alleged that the Chinese nationals operated an illegal Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) business and an online gambling network from the premises using advanced technology and digital equipment.
The DB chief said the group sent promotional messages to mobile phone users, offering jobs and opportunities to earn extra income.
Victims were allegedly directed to fraudulent links, which trapped them in the scheme after being clicked.
He said the syndicate used sophisticated technology to avoid law enforcement surveillance, including connecting multiple external slots to a single mobile phone, allowing up to 12 SIM cards to operate simultaneously.
As a result, tracing the devices through their IMEI numbers became difficult even after victims reported losing money.
Shafiqul Islam claimed the group laundered between Tk200 crore and Tk250 crore abroad every month from online gambling and other illegal earnings through a single gateway.
