Euro 2012 betting syndicates bust in Malaysia

Police in Penang, Malaysia have reported the arrest of eight men believed to be members of two illegal online football betting syndicates exploiting the Euro 2012 championships.

The syndicates, said to be operating in George Town and Bukit Mertajam, were master-minded by two Malaysians, aged 26 and 75, who are alleged to have made massive profits from bets reaching as high as RM200,000 each.

In the raids, police also seized several cell phones, laptops, match schedules and betting receipts, as well as a substantial amount of cash.

Criminal Investigation Department Director Datuk Seri Mohd Bakri Zinin, said that the detentions had generated additional evidence, and that more arrests are anticipated.

He said police also did not rule out the possibility of the syndicates being master-minded by the same people involved in illegal betting during the World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

During the World Cup season, Mohd Bakri said, police conducted 270 raids on illegal football betting syndicates, involving bets worth RM419.2 million.

He said police also detained 227 people, including 17 women, nationwide during the World Cup season.

Mohd Bakri said the police would be working closely with the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission, as well as Interpol, to monitor and curb illegal online gambling activities.

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