Interpol Arrests 5,100 Individuals Involved in Global Illegal Gambling Rings

Interpol Arrests 5,100 Individuals Involved in Global Illegal Gambling Rings

In a major international effort, INTERPOL recently led Operation SOGA X, which resulted in the arrest of over 5,100 individuals involved in illegal soccer gambling across 28 countries. This coordinated operation, timed to coincide with the UEFA Euro 2024 Championship, targeted illegal online betting activities that are linked to broader organized crime networks. Authorities seized over $59 million in illicit assets during the operation, which focused on dismantling illegal gambling websites, uncovering money-laundering schemes, and disrupting networks involved in human trafficking and financial fraud.

Highlights of Operation SOGA X

1. Human Trafficking Rescues: In the Philippines, authorities raided a scam center that lured individuals with false job offers, resulting in over 650 trafficking victims being rescued. These individuals were forced to work in conditions involving both legal and illegal activities, including romance and cryptocurrency scams.

2. Complex Betting Syndicates: The operation also disrupted high-stakes betting rings, particularly in Vietnam and Thailand, where syndicates processed hundreds of thousands of dollars in daily transactions. In Vietnam alone, authorities dismantled a ring that handled $800,000 per day through a network of e-wallets and bank accounts spanning multiple countries.

3. Organized Crime Networks and Financial Fraud: In Greece, authorities uncovered a network using thousands of fake accounts and VPNs to place bets, bypassing restrictions. INTERPOL’s support allowed local authorities to trace financial flows across multiple jurisdictions, exposing the intricate web of illegal operations.

INTERPOL’s executive team emphasized the operation's success as a testament to global cooperation, involving shared intelligence and coordinated action across continents. The SOGA X initiative not only highlighted the economic impact of illegal gambling but also its association with human trafficking, corruption, and money laundering, showing the necessity of international collaboration to combat these interconnected crimes effectively.

Sources: INTERPOL, Gambling News, AGB