Authorities trace Eswatini gambling operation to alleged international scam syndicate
Prosecutors allege key suspects previously operated in Cambodia.
Eswatini.- Eswatini authorities have linked an ongoing illegal online gambling case to what they now describe as a transnational fraud network allegedly operating across Brazil, Indonesia, and other jurisdictions, based on evidence obtained through international cooperation and forensic analysis of seized materials.
The investigation began with coordinated searches at multiple sites, including Castle Hotel in Mbabane and Umushi Wenkosazane Resort, where police recovered computers, phones, cash, and vehicles. More than 140 foreign nationals were arrested as the scope expanded beyond gambling offences to include alleged money laundering and fraud.
Court documents revealed that investigators sought technical assistance from Chung-Wei Lu, a police attaché based in South Africa, to interpret materials recovered during the raids. The files, written in Chinese and Portuguese, were translated to determine operational content.
Following analysis, authorities claim the materials pointed to a structured telecommunications fraud network operating alongside the gambling activity. The group allegedly used scripted calls, impersonation tactics, and falsified documents to deceive targets into providing financial information. Training manuals recovered from the sites outlined procedures for handling calls, extracting financial data and managing resistance from targeted individuals. Databases containing personal details of Indonesian nationals were also found, alongside records tracking communication history with victims.
The group also used internet-based calling systems and virtual private networks to mask the origin of communications, making calls appear to originate from official institutions abroad.
Prosecutors allege key suspects, including Lyu Tao, previously operated in Cambodia before relocating through Mozambique into Eswatini. Interpol-related inquiries are said to have supported efforts to map the group’s movements.
Meanwhile, authorities have secured preservation orders over assets believed to be linked to the alleged proceeds of crime as the case continues in court.
