Police arrest 100 bookies, seize Euro 2012 bets totalling RM50m
KUALA LUMPUR, July 4 — In a two-month nationwide operation dubbed ‘Ops Soga’, the police detained 100 football bookies and seized bets with an estimated total of RM49.9 million.
The blitz, which began on May 1, ended last Monday.
Federal CID director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin said the suspects comprised 83 men and 17 women, aged between 20 and 65. They included two Singaporeans and two Indonesians.
Several items were also seized, including computers, mobile phones, bookie papers, calculators and RM78,160 in cash, he told a press conference here today.
“Our success was due to the cooperation of and information exchange with our counterparts from China, Hong Kong, Macau, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
“All countries involved will send reports to the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) based in Bangkok, Thailand.
“We, in Malaysia, also cooperated with other enforcement agencies and the Football Association of Malaysia, other than FIFA,” he said.
Mohd Bakri said the police were successful in 61 out of a total of 148 raids nationwide.
“Based on feedback gathered, Johor recorded the highest number of arrests and bets amounting to RM14.1 million.
“We have launched investigations under the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2001 and identified the syndicates linked to the bookies,” he added. — Bernama
