Eswatini police arrest 30 more suspects in online gambling crackdown
The individuals were arrested at a residential property in Hawane.
Eswatini.- The Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) has detained about 30 additional foreign nationals in connection with the alleged online gambling fraud operation currently under investigation in the country. The latest arrests bring the total number of suspects in the ongoing crackdown to approximately 120 since last week.
Acting Chief Police Information and Communications Officer, Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni said the individuals were arrested at a residential property in Hawane where they were found carrying out gambling-related activities.
All suspects were transported to Mbabane Police Station, where authorities are verifying their immigration status and conducting further questioning. They were moved to the station for immigration status checks and further interrogation by authorities.
The arrests are part of a wider enforcement operation targeting an alleged syndicate involved in illegal online gambling activities in Eswatini. The case, which came to light following the raid at Castle Hotel, has intensified over the past two weeks, with suspects appearing before the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court.
According to authorities, 85 of the accused face a total of 168 charges, including two under the Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism (Prevention) Act, after E708,000 (€35,000) suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities was seized. Investigators allege the funds were generated from operations in breach of Section 14 (2) (f) of the Immigration Act No. 17 of 1982.
They will also be charged under the Gaming Control Act No. 7 of 2022 for carrying out gambling activities without a valid licence. Court documents indicate that between February and March, the suspects jointly operated in and around Mbabane to facilitate unlicensed gaming activities.
The case reflects increasing regulatory pressure on illegal gambling in Eswatini, particularly operations linked to cross-border syndicates, as enforcement agencies step up inspections of suspected hubs linked to unlicensed digital gambling setups.
Authorities have indicated that additional arrests remain possible as they work to establish the full scope of the network.
