Police in Hyderabad, India, take down illegal horse betting ring

• Police in Hyderabad, India, conducted an operation against illegal gambling
• The raids resulted in the takedown of an illegal horse betting ring that recorded transactions of nearly $1m
• Four people, suspected of being involved in the illegal gambling ring, have been detained

An illegal gambling bust in Hyderabad, Telangana, India, resulted in the arrest of several individuals, seizure of cash and freezing of a bank account.

Law enforcement identified an illegal horse betting scheme that involved more than 100 bettors and had transactions of nearly $1m.

The gambling ring's transactions were an estimated $1m

Despite the strict laws prohibiting most forms of gambling with the exception of lotteries, in India, illegal gambling remains an issue.

During one recent police operation, officers arrested several individuals suspected of being involved in horse betting activities. Two more suspects are yet to be detained, too.

According to a report from the Hans India, the betting scheme involved a WhatsApp group called "Shinewell Enterprises."

Some 105 bettors were added to the aforementioned group by a 45-year-old man, suspected of being the leader of the gambling ring.

An investigation by law enforcement uncovered that the transactions of the illegal gambling ring were in the realm of Rs 8.34 crore, or a sum of approximately $952,000.

Following the police operation, a total of four suspects were detained.

Law enforcement also seized a sum of Rs 2 lakh, or approximately $2,300, in cash, while a bank account with nearly $3,000 was frozen.

Suspects are facing different charges

The four suspects who were arrested are between the ages of 45 and 55.

Two other individuals, suspected of being involved in the illegal gambling ring, were reportedly still at large.

While law enforcement is on the lookout for the duo, they have reportedly failed to appear for work.

It is unclear if further individuals may have been involved in the illegal gambling scheme.

Currently, the suspects are facing charges under the Telangana Gaming Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The police operation was carried out by officers with the Jawahar Nagar Police and the Rachakonda Special Operations Team (SOT) Malkjgiri on Sunday.

Despite the efforts of law enforcement, illegal gambling remains an issue across India.

The ease of access to illegal online gambling platforms makes it difficult to crack down on such activities, while at the same time, bad actors often use different tactics to promote their services online.

Penalties for illegal gambling in India can vary depending on the scale of the operation and charges, but can generally result in punishment with a fine and several months of imprisonment.

In certain cases, individuals may face significantly higher fines and imprisonment of up to 5 years.

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