Soccer betting dens in Asia shut down

>> ASIAONE / NEWS / THE STRAITS TIMES / STORY

Wed, Nov 07, 2007
The Straits Times

MARRAKECH (MOROCCO) - DOZENS of illegal football betting houses across Asia have been shut down in an operation coordinated by Interpol, the global police organisation has announced.

Police in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam took part in the ongoing operation which began on Oct 24, the body's sub-director for the fight against organised crime and drugs said on Monday.

'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,' Mr 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 US$636,000 (S$921,000), he said.

'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 Mr Leclaire.

The operation follows Interpol's move last year to set up Project Asian Organised Crime, which aims to fight the worldwide expansion of Asian crime networks through sharing intelligence.

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

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

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