INTERPOL’s operation SOGA X conducted together with 28 countries and territories and aimed at cracking down on illegal soccer gambling has led to over 5,000 arrests and almost $60 million in illicit proceeds recovered
In a sweeping international crackdown on illegal soccer gambling, authorities made over 5,100 arrests and seized more than $59 million in illicit proceeds.
Operation SOGA X Rescued Over 650 Human Trafficking Victims
Unfolded under code named SOGA X, the operation took place between June and July 2024 and involved the International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) and law enforcement agencies from 28 countries and territories.
The effort was timed to coincide with the UEFA 2024 European Football Championship, which was anticipated to spark a surge in illegal betting and generate massive profits for organized crime syndicates.
According to the Asian Racing Federation, which is a regional federation that comprises 29 national racing authorities and racing-related organizations in Asia, Oceania, Africa, and the Middle East, the global illegal gambling market is valued at a staggering $1.7 trillion.
The federation, which is formally linked with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities, has also explained that the same illegal market is frequently connected to other criminal activities such as human trafficking, money laundering, and financial fraud.
SOGA X aimed not only to dismantle illegal gambling websites but also to expose the wider criminal networks operating in conjunction with these illicit platforms.
The operation successfully rescued trafficked individuals and uncovered money laundering rings, further highlighting the depth of criminality linked to illegal betting.
One of the most significant breakthroughs occurred in the Philippines, where authorities, with INTERPOL’s support, took down a scam center operating alongside a licensed gambling site.
The carefully planned raid led to the rescue of more than 650 human trafficking victims, including nearly 400 Filipinos and over 250 foreign nationals from six countries.
These victims were lured by false job offers and coerced into working under threats and intimidation.
Their passports were confiscated, and they were forced into roles involving both legal and illegal online activities, including romance scams and cryptocurrency fraud.
An INTERPOL Operational Support Team played a critical role by helping local authorities analyze seized devices and trace illicit financial flows across multiple jurisdictions.
Complex and Lucrative Betting Ring Dismantled in Vietnam
In Vietnam, where online gambling is deemed illegal for citizens, authorities managed to effectively dismantle a sophisticated betting ring that generated $800,000 in daily transactions.
This syndicate used a network of bank accounts and e-wallets across several countries to facilitate their operations, underscoring the transnational nature of illegal gambling.
Earlier in the week, we reported on a similar operation against illegal gambling in Vietnam where a dozen people were put under arrest and millions in cash were seized as a result of enforcement agencies conducting important raids in the Ben Tre province.
Additional Operations in Thailand and Greece
Meanwhile, in Thailand, two major illegal betting sites were raided, leading to the arrests of ringleaders and the seizure of assets worth over $9 million.
In Greece, authorities disrupted another large betting operation that utilized fake and mule accounts to place bets.
The group ran seven illegal gambling sites and had access to accounts on 60 other websites. They managed 3,000 fake accounts using stolen and forged IDs and employed Virtual Private Networks to evade detection.
INTERPOL’s executive director of police services, Stephen Kavanagh, praised the success of the operation while mentioning “global information sharing and significant efforts by law enforcement authorities on the ground” as the main reasons behind it.
The operation, which was a coordinated effort led by INTERPOL with support from partners like the Asia-Pacific Expert Group on Organized Crime and UEFA, laid the groundwork for future efforts to combat the complex web of criminal activities tied to illegal gambling, with investigations still ongoing in several participating countries.
In the spring, we announced a similar investigation from INTERPOL that led to 52 arrests connected to illegal gambling in Spain.
