Eswatini police detain 88 foreign nationals over illegal online gambling operation
Investigators are reviewing digital evidence to understand how the operation worked and whether financial transactions were connected to online gambling or other internet-based fraud.
Eswatini.- Authorities in Eswatini have detained 88 foreign nationals suspected of operating an illegal online gambling and fraud scheme from a hotel in the capital, Mbabane.
The arrests followed a police raid at Castle Hotel, where officers from the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) discovered electronic equipment believed to have been used to run online gambling and fraud activities. Laptops, desktop computers and other digital devices were seized from several rooms where the group had reportedly set up operations.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, all 88 suspects were living in the country without valid immigration status at the time of the raid.
Assistant Superintendent Nosipho Mnguni, Deputy Police Information and Communications Officer, confirmed the arrests and said investigations are continuing to determine the full scope of the operation. She noted: “The suspects are Asian nationals who were found in a hotel around Mbabane. Investigations are ongoing to establish what their mission in the country was and whether their activities were legal.”
Immigration officials reported that eight of the suspects are citizens of Brazil, while the majority originate from Asian countries. Some of the Brazilians initially entered Eswatini legally but no longer had valid visas when they were detained. Others were found with passports that had not been stamped by immigration authorities.
According to the police, none of the Asian nationals used recognised ports of entry when entering the country and did not possess valid visas, raising suspicions that they may have been smuggled across borders.
Authorities suspect the group was operating an organised online scheme targeting individuals outside Eswatini. Investigators are reviewing digital evidence to understand how the operation worked and whether financial transactions were connected to online gambling or other internet-based fraud.
While no formal charges have been filed against the detained suspects, police said the investigation will determine potential violations of immigration laws, fraud statutes and gambling regulations.
The arrests come as Eswatini faces increasing scrutiny over unregulated gambling activities and cyber-related financial crimes. Financial fraud and internet-based scams have been identified as growing risks in the country as the use of digital platforms expands.
At the policy level, lawmakers have already begun discussing stronger oversight of online gambling. Members of Eswatini’s House of Assembly recently approved a motion calling for the creation of a centralised monitoring system for online gambling platforms, aimed at preventing illegal operations and underage participation.
