Law enforcement agencies detained at least 63 foreign nationals during a coordinated nighttime raid conducted Thursday in the West Jalalabad neighbourhood on suspicion of operating illegal virtual wagering networks.

The collaborative operation was carried out by the Counter-Terrorism Unit alongside personnel from the Khulshi Police Station targeting an eight-storey structure situated in the locality, as confirmed by Mohammad Faisal Ahmmed, additional commissioner for crime within the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP).

He, however, declined to provide details of the operation.

Preliminary intelligence gathered by law enforcement revealed that the apprehended individuals comprised 35 citizens originating from Laos, 21 from Pakistan, five from China, alongside individual nationals representing Nepal and Vietnam.

Out of the total 63 suspects taken into custody, 41 are male, 21 are female, and one is a minor.

Authorities reported recovering 131 mobile handsets and 170 portable computers from inside the premises, alongside foreign currency notes and gambling apparatus utilized for casino-style games.

Area inhabitants recounted observing regular traffic involving foreign visitors entering and exiting the property over the preceding month, though they remained entirely oblivious to the illicit operations transpiring indoors.

Investigators believe the residential property may have been leased specifically to manage a clandestine casino or to run internet-based gambling rings.

However, the exact nature of the activities and the purpose of the foreigners' stay are still being investigated.

With Inputs from UNB