VIP bookies on the run

Now, police are also going after VIPs for being involved in illegal football betting syndicates.

The Star reported today that more than seven VIPs who are believed to be running illegal football betting rings have fled to neighbouring countries following a nationwide police crackdown since the start of the World Cup.

Police are now hot on their heels and working with Interpol to nab them.

The individuals, some of them believed to be businessmen, have resorted to carrying out their operations in those countries.

Police also identified three local bookie syndicates operating overseas and receiving bets in US dollars.

The first 10 days of the World Cup have seen illegal bookies raking in a whopping RM300.7mil in bets placed by Malaysians hoping to strike it big.

CID Director Bakri Zinin said they were working round the clock and have raided 156 places throughout the country and arrested 120 people, including a 15-year-old student and 20 women.

Serious matter

Each bookie is said to have received at least RM30,000 to RM40,000 in bets for each game since the tournament started.

"There are three games a day and this shows that each syndicate is earning at least RM100,000 a day," he said.

Bakri also said some 200,000 punters are involved in illegal gambling in the country.

"Each punter would place a minimum RM50 to a maximum RM2,000 bet."

The raids came after the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Corporation reported the illegal betting activities to the police.

Police are treating the matter seriously as many of those who place bets borrow money from Ah Long.

Bakri said in some cases, the Ah Long were also the bookies.

Couple arrested at condo

In Petaling Jaya, a married couple was arrested 10 minutes into the World Cup match between Portugal and North Korea last night for accepting bets totalling to RM35,000.

A team from the district police headquarters raided a unit at the Bayu Puteri Condominium, here at 7.40pm, and arrested a man in his 50s and his wife aged 45.

"Based on entries in a notebook computer and betting slips found in their home, we believe the couple accepted bets totalling RM35,000 for the Portugal vs North Korea match," said Petaling Jaya OCPD Arjunaidi Mohamed.

courtesy of Malaysian Mirror