According to police, the ring had a network of bookies across Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang, fielding wagers as high as hundreds of thousands of US dollars.

When receiving bets beyond its solvency, the ring would transfer bets to network firms in Hong Kong on commission.

Upon raiding the ring before the World Cup final, police seized US$88,000 and VND106 million ($6,600) in cash, together with three cars, eight motorbikes and a computer.

Police identified 16 people of the ring, arrested 11 of them, and issued house arrest warrants to the five remainders.

Three key leaders of the ring include Le Cong Hai, Doan Van Tri, and Nguyen Thanh Son.

Hai is a trading department manager of a security service company in HCMC. Years ago, Hai was a close junior henchman of Mafioso Nguyen Tuan Hai, alias Hai Banh, who is currently incarcerated for murder.

Source: VietnamNet – Translated by Minh Phat