Cyber police conduct illegal betting operation
An operation was carried out in Istanbul against suspects who were working for a salary to manage money deposited into illegal betting sites via the internet and mobile banking. 22 suspects were apprehended in raids conducted at eight separate addresses. During the searches, 96 mobile phones and 27 computers were seized.
Müslim Sarıyar
Müslim SARIYAR/12punto.com.tr
The operation was carried out by officers from the Istanbul Police Department's Cyber Crimes Combat Branch, which has become a nightmare for both illegal bookmakers and cybercriminals in recent months.
Police, working to prevent the crime of illegal betting, identified several suspects. It was determined that the suspects were a group involved in the financial and banking side of illegal betting organizations. Following this, technical and physical surveillance was initiated.
It was understood that the group pursued by the police was established to control deposit and withdrawal transactions on online illegal betting sites. It was determined that the betting network rented houses for this structure, and that people working in shifts for a salary were present in these houses, which had been converted into offices. As the investigations continued, it was understood that the suspects working in the houses obtained bank accounts from third parties. It was determined that these accounts, which were defined on phones located in the houses or offices, were used to transfer money obtained from illegal betting. Following the investigations, a decision was made to conduct an operation to apprehend the suspects who were transferring the virtual betting money. A simultaneous operation was carried out at 8 addresses yesterday. During the raid, 22 suspects were taken into custody. In the searches conducted at the addresses, 96 mobile phones, 90 SIM cards, 27 laptops, a quantity of narcotics, 1 unlicensed pistol, 1 magazine, and 50 cartridges were seized.