Hyderabad: How tech-savvy gambling gang used X-ray contact lens cards to cheat players

Hyderabad: Banjara Hills police have busted a gang for cheating people at a gambling den.

The group employed advanced cheating devices to exploit unsuspecting players and extort large sums of money.

According to Banjara Hills Inspector P. Satish, the apprehended gang included Srinu (44), a businessman from Subhashnagar in Mahabubnagar, Mervyn Carr (35), a key player along with their associates Syed Naeem (42) from Lalapeta and Deo from Maulali RTC Colony, among others.

The gang lured participants into what seemed to be a legitimate gambling tournament. They skillfully utilized cheating devices such as x-ray vision contact lenses, micro earphones, and earphones to manipulate the games.

X-ray contact lenses: unveiling the cheater's toolkit

The use of X-ray contact lens playing cards, also known as marked cards, allowed the gang to gain an unfair advantage in their operations. These specialized contact lenses enable wearers to see markings on playing cards that are otherwise invisible to the naked eye, providing a significant edge in games like poker.

Operating on the principle of wavelength filtration, these lenses reveal concealed information by allowing specific wavelengths of light to penetrate the back of playing cards, making the hidden markings visible to the wearer without emitting harmful X-rays.

In a recent incident, the gang duped Vinodkumar (38), a businessman from Warasiguda, into participating in what he believed to be a high-stakes poker tournament at a reputed hotel in Banjara Hills. Falling victim to the scam, Vinodkumar transferred Rs. 1.50 lakhs to the gang's account and booked a hotel room for Rs. 24 thousand through the Make My Trip app.

Acting on a tip-off about the illegal activities, Banjara Hills police conducted a raid on Wednesday at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel. The operation resulted in the apprehension of 13 gang members, including Srinu and Mervyn, who were caught red-handed. The police seized Rs. 2,400 in cash, valuable coins totaling Rs. 32,47,000, X-Ray Contact Lenses, earphones, micro earphones, four smartphones, and online cash worth Rs. 86 thousand.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the gang successfully cheated numerous individuals, accumulating substantial amounts of money.

Banjara Hills police are actively pursuing further inquiries to uncover the full extent of the gang's operations and ensure justice is served for all parties involved.