A sweeping crackdown on illegal online gambling operations in Eswatini has exposed a sophisticated transnational cybercrime network, with more than 200 suspects arrested and several linked to the Interpol red notice list.
The arrests, carried out by the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) in coordination with the Ministry of Home Affairs, have sent shockwaves through the region.
The country’s national commissioner, Vusi Manoma Masango, told The Times of Eswatini that the swoop reveals how criminal syndicates are exploiting digital platforms to run complex fraud and gambling schemes under the guise of legitimate online businesses.
“This is no longer a localised issue. It is an internationally coordinated crime. What has alarmed us is the scale and the ease with which these individuals entered the country and established operations,” he said.
Authorities say the suspects, largely from mainland China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Brazil, Indonesia, Taiwan, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and India, were operating from multiple sites, including guest houses and residential properties in Mbabane, Hawane and Woodlands.
Many allegedly entered Eswatini illegally, bypassing formal immigration channels.
During coordinated raids, police recovered a range of digital equipment, including laptops, mobile phones, routers, and high-speed internet infrastructure.
Police say these devices were configured into “production-line” style workstations, enabling operators to simultaneously run betting platforms and execute fraudulent communications.
At the heart of the operation is a scam known as “pig butchering,” a form of online fraud where victims are slowly groomed over time, often through social media or messaging apps, before being convinced to invest in fake gambling or cryptocurrency platforms.
Once substantial funds are deposited, the perpetrators disappear, leaving victims financially devastated.
Police also uncovered disturbing tactics used to manipulate victims, including staged rooms designed to resemble police stations during video calls to intimidate targets into compliance.
“We are working closely with Interpol to ensure that those flagged internationally are extradited to face justice in their countries of origin,” Masango said.
A suspected kingpin, identified only as “Tiger,” is believed to have coordinated the syndicate’s logistics, including recruitment, accommodation and the supply of technological tools.
As suspects appear before the Mbabane Magistrate’s Court, authorities warn that further arrests are imminent, signalling an intensified regional push against cyber-enabled financial crime.
Share
