Suspects held after raid on ‘illegal gambling ring’

SIX people accused of being involved in an illegal online betting ring were released on bail on Monday following a police bust.

The suspects, five men and one woman, were held last Friday during simultaneous raids at three addresses in Girne and brought before Girne District Court later in the day. They were all initially remanded in custody for three days.

Detectives seized 90 bank books, 24 bank cash cards and three mobile phones as evidence.

Ten computers confiscated from the premises were sent to Turkey for “expert analysis”, police said.

Three of the men — Hakan Törehan,41, Mehmet Mustafa Gün, 34, and Berk Osmanlılar, 34 — had been “financing illegal online gambling websites”, the court heard.

At a hearing on Monday they were released after paying bail of 10,000TL each and obtaining sureties totalling 900,000TL.

Cemal Doğan Tokgezer was charged with organising the betting operation. He was released on 30,000TL bail and a 150,000TL surety.

Mustafa Abraşoğlu and Ayşe Reyhan Avcı were accused of concealing evidence. They were allowed to walk from court after each stumping up 3,000TL in bail and providing sureties of 30,000TL each.

All six suspects’ travel documents were confiscated and they were ordered to report regularly to police.