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World Cup gambling ring raids in Hong Kong
Police have arrested 21 people in Hong Kong after smashing three illegal bookmaking gangs as part of a government crackdown on gambling ahead of the World Cup tournament.
A police statement said the suspects were arrested in a series of raids on 19 locations by officers of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau.
Betting slips totaling HK $6 million (£530,000), were also seized, it said.
Gambling on football is illegal in Hong Kong, which only permits betting on horse racing and a numbers-game lottery.
Soccer is very popular in Hong Kong and all the matches during the May 31-June 30 World Cup tournament in South Korea and Japan will be televised live in the Chinese territory.
Those convicted of illegal bookmaking face a maximum jail sentence of seven years and a fine of HK $5 million (£440,00).
Story filed: 12:16 Sunday 5th May 2002
Police have arrested 21 people in Hong Kong after smashing three illegal bookmaking gangs as part of a government crackdown on gambling ahead of the World Cup tournament.
A police statement said the suspects were arrested in a series of raids on 19 locations by officers of the Organized Crime and Triad Bureau.
Betting slips totaling HK $6 million (£530,000), were also seized, it said.
Gambling on football is illegal in Hong Kong, which only permits betting on horse racing and a numbers-game lottery.
Soccer is very popular in Hong Kong and all the matches during the May 31-June 30 World Cup tournament in South Korea and Japan will be televised live in the Chinese territory.
Those convicted of illegal bookmaking face a maximum jail sentence of seven years and a fine of HK $5 million (£440,00).
Story filed: 12:16 Sunday 5th May 2002
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