Iran's Intelligence Ministry successfully dismantled the largest organized online gambling and betting network in the country, which was established and operated by individuals based in the UK.

In a Saturday statement, the ministry said that the operation to bring down the network took 14 months of "complicated intelligence research and surveillance."

Around 35,006 bank accounts, 1,200 payment gateways, and 54 gambling and betting websites were being managed directly by the network, the ministry added.

The "London-based mafia network" would deposit a portion of the money received from gamblers into their accounts as "gambling earnings," while transferring significant amounts to Britain.

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The United Kingdom ignored the money laundering mafia scheme, granted it obtained hefty taxes on their winnings, the statement continued. By doing so, the UK would "practically pave the way for the culprits' criminal activities."

The ministry's agents also detained five managers who operated the "Nitro bet" network and the "Pardakht.me" payment gateway, accusing them of economic sabotage, operating online gambling establishments, and acquiring illicit profits.

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