The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has arrested four members of an organised syndicate allegedly involved in operating online betting and gambling platforms, facilitating illegal financial transactions and laundering money abroad.
The arrestees are Md Rakibul Islam, 30; Ariful Islam Arju, 26; Sheikh Sakir Ahmed; and Mianul Islam Ayon, 29.
The CID’s Cyber Investigation and Operations unit arrested them in separate drives in the Khan Jahan Ali and Khalishpur Police Station areas of Khulna on September 2.
CID Special Superintendent of Police (Media) Md Sufi Ullah said on Friday that the Cyber Monitoring Cell of the CID’s Cyber Police Centre (CPC) uncovered information about an organised syndicate involved in online betting and gambling operations in Bangladesh and abroad during routine online monitoring.
The syndicate allegedly promoted betting websites through advertisements on social media and other online platforms to lure people into online gambling.
Preliminary investigations found that users were required to first “top up” or deposit money to participate in betting activities.
They were instructed to use mobile financial services (MFS), bank accounts and cryptocurrencies for the transactions. Once the money was deposited, an equivalent amount of e-money or betting credit was added to their betting accounts for gambling.
Investigators also found that the MFS agent numbers and bank accounts used for the illegal transactions were changed frequently. The syndicate allegedly collected agent numbers and bank account details from agents across the country and shared them with betting site operators through Telegram and other communication platforms. The details were subsequently displayed on betting websites, allowing users from different parts of the country to transfer money.
According to the preliminary investigation, the agents retained a fixed commission from the funds collected and transferred the remaining amount to various bank accounts. The money was later converted into cryptocurrency through platforms such as Binance and allegedly laundered abroad.
After analysing information gathered through cyber monitoring and conducting a preliminary inquiry, the CID filed a case with Paltan Police Station.
Based on findings from the investigation and intelligence inputs, CID officers traced the suspects and subsequently arrested four members of the syndicate.
During preliminary interrogation, the arrestees allegedly admitted to their direct involvement in the online betting and illegal money laundering network.
