MARRAKECH, Morocco, Nov 5, 2007 (AFP) - Dozens of illegal football betting houses across Asia have been shut down in an operation coordinated by Interpol, the global police organisation announced Monday.

Police in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam took part in the ongoing operation which began on October 24, the body's subdirector for the fight against organised crime and drugs told AFP.

"It is no secret that Asians are big gamblers and illegal betting is on the rise, bringing with it the risk of corruption, pressure on matches and the manipulation of results," Emmanuel Leclaire said.

The operation has so far led to the detention of 187 people in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia alone, as well as the seizure of 636,000 dollars, he added.

"It is a sort of warning to amateurs, to show them that the police can coordinate themselves at the international level to strike against criminals wherever they are," said Leclaire.

The operation follows the establishment in 2006 by Interpol of Project Asian Organised Crime, which aims to fight the worldwide expansion of Asian crime networks through intelligence-sharing.

At the same time Interpol began research on illegal football gambling and Asian crime networks with a view to mounting tactical operations.

"Before there was very little information sharing between Asia, Europe, North America and the different regions of the world regarding Asian organised crime," said Leclaire.

Delegates from 144 of the 186 member states that belong to Interpol were in Marrakech for the four-day annual conference that began Monday.