By IANS,
Washington: Over 5,000 people were arrested and nearly $10 million seized in an operation across Asia targeting illegal soccer gambling during the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Interpol said.
The international police agency coordinated a month-long operation from June 11 to July 11, targeting activities linked to organised crime, in which police raided 800 illegal gambling dens in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand.
Cars, bank cards, computers and mobile phones were seized during the operation.
“The results we have seen are impressive, not only in the number of arrests and seizures made across the region in just one month, but in terms of the police cooperation which made this possible,” Jean-Michel Louboutin, Interpol’s executive director of police services, was quoted as saying by the CNN.
“As well as having clear connections to organised crime gangs, illegal soccer gambling is also linked with corruption, money laundering and prostitution,” he said.
Interpol, based in Lyon, France, coordinated the operation from its office in Bangkok, Thailand.