Saturday, December 02, 2006

The major ring, led by Ngo Tien Dung alias Dung Kieu, was found to have handled bets of over US$10 million within three months from December 2005 till February 2006. Dung and his subordinates will face two counts of gambling and organized gambling after earning illegal profits of $200,000 from betting pools during the period, police documents state. The ring, which started operations in 2004, mainly bet on football matches in European leagues. It collaborated with betting firms in Hong Kong and Cambodia and managed the action via the Internet. In Vietnam, it set up a network of bookies from the north to the south at Hanoi, Hai Phong, Thai Binh, and Ho Chi Minh City. Eleven other offenders include Nguyen Ngoc Quang, Nguyen Thanh Chon, Vu Manh Ha, Nguyen Ngoc Ha, Hoang Tuan, Ta Quoc Lich, Bui Thi Thanh Thuy, Bui Thanh Phong, Le Quang Loc, Nguyen Minh Toan, and Vu Van Hien. Besides facing the two gambling-related counts, the ring leader Dung Kieu is also charged with murder. In 1988, when he was jailed in northern Bac Thai (nowadays Thai Nguyen) province he beat to death cellmate Hac Van Trong for stealing a piece of pork. The case had yet to be brought to light by investigators, which is until Dung was arrested last year as a result of the gambling investigation.