Lahore police have arrested two bookmakers involved in betting on the IPL and other international cricket matches.
SP President Rana Hussain Tahir confirmed that Johar Town Police apprehended the suspects, identified as Haseeb Akbar and Muhammad Irfan, who were reportedly gambling on ongoing IPL matches.
Police recovered two mobile phones, six laptops, and thousands of rupees in cash from their possession. The suspects were also found to be involved in gambling on International Cricket World Cup matches and were operating group betting through various mobile app accounts.
Rana Hussain Tahir added that cases have been registered against the accused, and further investigations are underway. He also commended SHO Johar Town Mohsin Shahzad and his team for their efforts.
The SP President revealed that the arrested suspects conducted gambling in a highly organised manner and transferred money through various mobile app accounts. He stated that the accused had created groups on social media and messaging apps to facilitate large-scale betting and gambling.
Police have registered a case against the suspects and launched further investigations to identify others connected to this network. SP President Rana Hussain Tahir emphasised that no illegal activities or gambling dens will be tolerated in the city, and the crackdown will continue.
Gambling tried to tarnish beauty of ‘game of gentlemen’
Cricket is considered a passion in Pakistan. When the national cricket team competes against an opponent, the sense of Pakistani pride, regardless of colour, race or religion, unites people from Khyber to Karachi in a way not seen on ordinary days.
Cricket was once called the ‘game of gentlemen,” but over time, even this noble sport has been tainted by deceit and corruption. The scourge of match-fixing and spot-fixing has tried to tarnish the beauty of the game.
Regarding cricket betting, cities like Bombay, Cape Town, and Karachi are major global hubs for international cricket betting, involving billions of dollars.
Prominent cricketers and high-ranking officials from various cricket boards have been implicated in this black market.
The problem of betting has spread so widely that the efforts of a single country or cricket board cannot eradicate it. It affects all sports, not just cricket. Betting is more visible in cricket because the sport has many Asian teams and is heavily reliant on records and statistics. Wherever cricket is played around the world, betting thrives in full swing.
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