By DPA
Singapore : Illegal football bets worth $680 million have been uncovered in an Interpol operation across seven Asian countries, and some 187 people have been arrested, the Singapore police said Friday.
The raids were part of Operation SOGA, Operation Soccer Gambling, which started in June and was timed to coordinate with the major soccer seasons, a police statement said.
In Singapore, the police conducted raids from Oct 24 to Nov 18 to detect illegal betting.
They arrested 20 people, both for illegal bookmaking and gambling. They also seized $17,000 (24,000 Singapore dollars), 86 computers and two laptops.
If convicted of acting as bookmakers, offenders face a fine of 20,000-200,000 Singapore dollars. There is also a maximum five-year jail term.
Planning for Operation SOGA started in early June when officers from law enforcement agencies in Asia met to discuss its strategy, the statement said.
An expert group comprising members from Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, China, Hong Kong and Macau was formed. The group “provides a regional cooperation platform against illegal soccer booking and gambling activities,” the statement said.
The operation followed Interpol’s move last year to set up Project Asian Organised Crime.
Dozens of illegal football betting houses across Asia have been shut down, leading to the arrest of 187 people in China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Malaysia alone, the statement said.