Nepal police bust illegal gambling racket, 21 Indian arrested
Nepal police have arrested 11 Indian nationals for their involvement in a large-scale online gambling and cryptocurrency transaction racket worth over NPR 2 billion ($14.39 million). The arrests took place in Deula Tole, Budhanilkantha Municipality, following a police raid on a rented property on Tuesday evening.
The suspects, aged between 19 and 28, were allegedly running illegal online betting operations and cryptocurrency transactions, primarily targeting Indian users. The Kathmandu District Court of Nepal has granted a seven-day police remand for further investigation.
Police raid uncovers betting syndicate
Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kathmandu Police Range raided a house in Budhanilkantha at around 5:15 pm. The arrested individuals were caught red-handed engaging in online gambling and cryptocurrency transactions.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Apil Raj Bohara, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Police Range, confirmed the arrests and revealed that the suspects were operating an organised online betting racket. Police seized multiple items from the location, including 34 mobile phones, five laptops, four notebooks containing financial records, 14 Indian bank chequebooks, 27 ATM cards and 40 SIM cards.
Initial investigations indicate that the group had been facilitating illegal betting, particularly on Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. Authorities believe they were handling financial transactions linked to offshore accounts.
Masterminds still at large
Despite the arrests, police suspect that the detained individuals are only lower-level operatives in a larger criminal network. According to SP Bohara, the suspects have refused to reveal the identities of their ringleaders.
“They have been using messaging platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Signal, and WeChat to communicate with their bosses,” he said. “They are refusing to share any details, making it difficult to trace the masterminds.”
Authorities suspect that the arrested individuals were sending money to India, but the recipients’ identities and locations remain unknown. Investigators are now working to track these transactions.
SP Bohara urged the public to be cautious and report suspicious activities linked to online gambling and cryptocurrency transactions.
