On 1/3, the Ho Chi Minh City Police Criminal Police Department temporarily detained over 80 individuals connected to two high-stakes gambling dens, investigating them for gambling and organizing gambling. These operations targeted activities that resulted in hundreds of millions of dong in winnings and losses during the Lunar New Year 2026 period.
According to investigators, the Ho Chi Minh City Police developed a plan to dismantle several gambling operations that were taking advantage of the Tet holiday. After a long period of surveillance, authorities identified a clearing behind an unnumbered house in Quarter 12, Hoa Loi ward (formerly Binh Duong province), where many suspects were gathering.
Police identified the location as a cockfighting arena organized by Le Van Tuan, 40, Pham Thanh Nhinh, 47, and Trinh Linh Duong, 32. Given that the area was located in a forest with an open terrain that allowed for easy observation from a distance, law enforcement utilized flycams and other technical equipment to monitor all movements, preventing suspects from escaping.
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Police escorting suspects to headquarters. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police.* |
Yesterday afternoon, hundreds of officers, in coordination with specialized units, unexpectedly raided this location. At the scene, police caught 45 individuals in the act of gambling, seizing over 300 million dong, eight fighting cocks, two cars, 32 motorbikes, and other related exhibits.
Authorities determined that this gambling den attracted numerous individuals from various localities, with stakes reaching hundreds of millions of dong.
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Police use a flycam to monitor the cockfighting arena. *Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Police.* |
Previously, on 19/2 (the third day of Tet), over 100 officers from the Criminal Police Department and mobile units raided a gambling den located in front of house numbers 61-65 Thang Nhi, Vung Tau ward (formerly Vung Tau City). They arrested 38 individuals who were playing "bai cao" (a three-card game). Over 160 million dong and other items were seized as evidence.
These actions are part of a broader campaign by the Ho Chi Minh City Police to attack and suppress all types of crime, ensuring security and order before, during, and after the Lunar New Year Binh Ngo 2026. The City Police Director instructed the Criminal Police Department to coordinate with local police units to continuously eliminate gambling dens as soon as they emerged.
Quoc Thang
