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Football 'match-fixer' Dan Tan with Singapore police | |
(about 3 hours later) | |
A businessman linked to a global football match-fixing ring is helping Singapore authorities with their inquiries, police say. | |
Tan Seet Eng, also known as Dan Tan, is said to be the central figure in a match-fixing organisation under investigation by Interpol. | |
Earlier, Italy arrested a suspected associate of Dan Tan in Milan. | |
Investigators have been critical of Singapore for allowing alleged match fixers to live there freely. | Investigators have been critical of Singapore for allowing alleged match fixers to live there freely. |
Dan Tan's name has appeared frequently in police reports about global corruption. | |
He is rarely seen in public, but has previously denied allegations of match-fixing. | |
Confirming that he is with Singapore police, spokesman Tan Giap Ti told the BBC that Mr Tan was "currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations". | |
"The Singapore authorities have been offering assistance and sharing available information with affected countries and will continue to do so," he said. | "The Singapore authorities have been offering assistance and sharing available information with affected countries and will continue to do so," he said. |
"We would like to reiterate that Singapore is committed to eradicating match-fixing as a transnational crime and protect the integrity of the sport, and will pursue such cases vigorously with a view to bringing perpetrators to justice." | "We would like to reiterate that Singapore is committed to eradicating match-fixing as a transnational crime and protect the integrity of the sport, and will pursue such cases vigorously with a view to bringing perpetrators to justice." |
Criminal networks | |
Earlier, Italian media named the suspect arrested as he arrived in Milan as Admir Sulic, a Slovenian. | |
Mr Sulic was arrested at Malpensa airport in Milan after stepping off a flight from Singapore, police said. They had been tipped off by his lawyer that he was on the flight, they added. | Mr Sulic was arrested at Malpensa airport in Milan after stepping off a flight from Singapore, police said. They had been tipped off by his lawyer that he was on the flight, they added. |
Interpol, the international police organisation, believes that Mr Sulic is linked to a match-fixing group controlled by Dan Tan. | |
Initial reports said Dan Tan was on the plane from Singapore to Italy. | |
Suspicions were raised when Interpol's secretary general said a suspect heading to Milan was wanted in connection with a 2011 betting scandal that saw several Italian players and clubs banned or penalised. | |
News of the arrest followed details released by European police earlier this month at the conclusion of an 18-month investigation in match-fixing. | |
They said that a crime syndicate based in Singapore was liaising with criminal networks throughout Europe, and that match-fixing had taken place in 15 countries and 50 people have so far been arrested. | They said that a crime syndicate based in Singapore was liaising with criminal networks throughout Europe, and that match-fixing had taken place in 15 countries and 50 people have so far been arrested. |
However, Interpol's Secretary General Ronald Noble defended Singapore and south-east Asian countries from the charge that they had allowed the region to become a hub for international match-fixing. | |
He argued that the European police were not sharing information internationally - leaving the Asians with very little evidence to act on. | |
In total, 30 countries and close to 700 matches worldwide were examined. | In total, 30 countries and close to 700 matches worldwide were examined. |
Many of the allegations involved matches in lower divisions around Europe. | Many of the allegations involved matches in lower divisions around Europe. |
Some 425 match officials, club officials, players and criminals are suspected of being involved. | Some 425 match officials, club officials, players and criminals are suspected of being involved. |