The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested five members of an organised ring allegedly involved in operating online betting and gambling platforms.
The arrested suspects are: Rafiqul Islam, 46, Md Sohel, 37, Md Shafiqul Islam, 27, Md Rubel Molla, 33, and Ayub Hossain Ripon, 48. All are from Narsingdi.
The CID’s Cyber Police Centre (CPC) arrested them in separate raids across Narsingdi between Wednesday evening and Thursday.
Police recovered nine mobile phones, 20 SIM cards, cheque books from several banks and other evidence from their possession.
Jasim Uddin Khan, special superintendent of police (media) at the CID, said preliminary questioning indicated the suspects’ links to an organised online betting and gambling network.
“Initial investigations suggest that an organised group operating both in Bangladesh and abroad has been running online betting and gambling websites under various names for a long time,” he said.
The group allegedly arranged betting and gambling for money around international cricket, football and other sporting events, while promoting the activities through social media and other online platforms, Jasim Uddin Khan said.
The CID urged the public to refrain from online gambling and betting activities.