Interpol has confirmed that operations that targeted illegal gambling during the Euro 2016 Football Tournament has resulted in over 4,000 people being arrested worldwide and in excess of $13 million (€11.8 million) seized across Asia.
According to the global criminal police organization, the operation was the “most significant operation in recent years” with more than 4,000 raids which were carried out across France, Italy, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Greece, Malaysia and Thailand as part of Operation SOGA VI (which is short for soccer gambling).
It is estimated that the raided gambling dens have taken $649 million in bets during the Euro 2016 Football Tournament which took place in France between 10th June and 10th July 2016.
Chief Superintendent Chan Lok-wing, the Head of Hong Kong’s Organized Crime and Triad Bureau, commented on the recent raids by saying that the number of seizures is the highest and most significant amongst similar operations in recent years. He went on to say that the SOGA VI operations are important for tackling not just illegal gambling, but also the organized networks behind this and other types of crime.
Interpol issued a statement from Bangkok wherein it revealed that a second operation targeted transnational networks that were behind illegal websites and call center type operations. Thailand’s Interpol director was, however, not able to be reached for comment.
The arrests came after a surge in illegal online gambling in China which is a side-effect of a record spike in Chinese interest in global soccer which saw millions of yuan placed in bets on Euro 2016.
