Police blitz on World Cup wagering continues

6/14/10 – Police raids on cyberbookies  have raked in more confiscated cash and arrests in Hong Kong, with police revealing that over HK$113 million (US$14.4 million) in World Cup bets were seized and 64 people arrested in raids in Hong Kong and southern China.
 
Police in Shenzhen and Hong Kong cooperated in raids against cyber bookmakers operating with websites registered overseas to try to evade detection, police spokesmen revealed.
 
Last Friday night, police also raided a flat being used by illegal bookmakers during the opening match between South Africa and Mexico and seized betting slips totaling HK$16 million (US$2 million).
 
Police said the bookmaker was taking about 20 calls a minute from punters. In separate raids Friday, police also seized betting slips worth HK$8 million (US$1 million).
 
In Shenzhen, police seized HK$47 million in betting slips and arrested 45 people, including three Hong Kong citizens.
 
Superintendent Man Tat-shing, of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau, said it was the largest syndicate broken up by the police.
 
"Police will continue taking vigorous enforcement action against illegal bookmaking activities during the course of the World Cup," Man said.
 
The police spokesman said that in the six months before the World Cup, police arrested seven people in connection with illegal bookmaking involving bets worth more than HK$500,000 (US$64,000).