Investigating a gambling case in Nha Trang, discovered a gambler wanted by Interpol and a police officer protecting him.

The People's Court of Khanh Hoa province has just announced the trial of 18 defendants prosecuted by the People's Procuracy at the same level for the crimes of organizing gambling, gambling, giving bribes and receiving bribes discovered at the Joker Club poker club in Nha Trang city.

Gambling arrest, Korean criminal wanted by Interpol discovered

According to the indictment, on February 3, 2023, the Investigation Police Agency of Khanh Hoa Provincial Police raided the Joker Club in an urban area in Phuoc Hai Ward (Nha Trang City), catching a group of people gambling on a large scale.

According to the investigation conclusion, there are 4 defendants who contributed capital to organize the Joker Club poker club (also known as poker or poker) in the above urban area from June 2022, the profits from the club are divided according to the capital contribution ratio.

They are Nguyen Minh Hai (born in 1973, residing in Ho Chi Minh City, accounting for 60% of the capital), Nguyen Huu Van (born in 1993, residing in Hue City, contributing 25% of the capital), Hua Vu Long (born in 1992, residing in Nha Trang City, contributing 10% of the capital) and Nguyen Dinh Hoang Long (born in 1994, residing in Nha Trang City, contributing 5% of the capital).

All four defendants above, along with seven defendants who were hired to work and provide gambling services at Joker Club, were prosecuted for organizing gambling.

In addition, two defendants Nguyen Minh Hai and Nguyen Dinh Hoang Long (organization and operation managers of Joker Club) were also prosecuted for bribery.

Defendant Long was also prosecuted for gambling (participating in gambling when the table was short of players on the afternoon of February 3, 2023).

A group of 7 defendants were caught red-handed at the casino at the Joker Club poker club on the afternoon of February 3, 2023, and were prosecuted for gambling. In addition to Long, there were 6 other defendants.

Notably, among the gamblers caught red-handed was Mr. Ham Heungchul (born in 1976, Korean nationality), who is internationally wanted by Korean police for "theft of property" and Interpol has issued a wanted notice since August 2022.

According to the indictment, Ham Heungchul fled to Vietnam, arrived in Nha Trang City, stayed at a hotel, participated in gambling and was caught red-handed at the Joker Club casino. This defendant is currently being detained at the Khanh Hoa Provincial Police Detention Center.

Bribery repeatedly given for casino protection in Nha Trang

In this case, there is one defendant prosecuted for bribery, Luong Tien Quan (born in 1981 in Thanh Hoa, residing in Ho Chi Minh City, currently on bail, prohibited from leaving his place of residence).

According to the indictment, when meeting Nguyen Minh Hai for the first time in September 2020 in Ho Chi Minh City, Luong Tien Quan (then deputy head of Department 4 of the Criminal Police Department - Ministry of Public Security in the South, in charge of Khanh Hoa province in the field of social evils prevention) set a condition for Hai to pay monthly money to protect the casinos organized by Hai in Nha Trang City.

After meeting Quan, Nguyen Minh Hai and Nguyen Dinh Hoang Long transferred money many times (from March 2022 to January 2023) to the account numbers designated by Quan to "give bribes".

The indictment determined that Luong Tien Quan had repeatedly received bribes in the form of money that Hai and Long had transferred, totaling 420 million VND.

Quan was temporarily detained for investigation, then the preventive measure was changed to bail and prohibited from leaving his place of residence.