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Italian Police Arrest Suspect in International Soccer Fixing Italian Police Arrest Suspect in International Soccer Fixing
(about 5 hours later)
ROME – The Italian police said Thursday that they had detained an important suspect in an investigation into soccer-match fixing with roots in a Singapore crime syndicate, as the police in Singapore said that  the man thought to be the key fixture in the inquiry was cooperating with their investigation. ROME – The police in Singapore said Thursday that  the Asian man thought to be at the center of a global soccer match-fixing network was now cooperating with them, even as the Italian police said   they had made an important breakthrough in the matter, detaining a key suspect.
Admir Suljic, 31, was apprehended early Thursday at Malpensa Airport, near Milan,  upon arrival from Singapore, investigators said. He was then taken to the northern city of Cremona, where he will be questioned by the prosecutors investigating more than 150 people in an international match-fixing case. The main charge against  Suljic is criminal association targeted to international sports fraud, the officials said. Admir Suljic, 31, a former player from Slovenia, was apprehended early Thursday at Malpensa Airport, near Milan,  upon arrival from Singapore, investigators said. He was then taken to the northern city of Cremona, where he will be questioned by the prosecutors investigating more than 150 people in the  case. 
His arrest was made possible by a tip from the Singapore police, delivered through Interpol, that he had boarded the plane.  Suljic, the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, or international arrest warrant, had been targeted by the international law enforcement organization last year under Operation Infra-Red, a program ‘‘to locate and arrest serious long-term international fugitives.’’ The main charge against  Mr. Suljic is criminal association targeted to commit international sports fraud, the officials said.
Suljic is thought to be an associate of Tan Seet Eng, a Singaporean also known as Dan Tan, who has been implicated in suspected match-fixing cases dating back more than a decade. Officials from Europol and other European law enforcement bodies said at a news conference in the Hague  on Feb. 4 that they had identified 680 matches worldwide that appeared to have been fixed over the past few years, including  in World Cup  and European Cup qualifiers.
In a statement Thursday, the Singapore Police Force said  Tan  ‘‘is currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations.’’ Interpol said that Mr. Suljic’s arrest was made possible by a tip from the Singapore police that Mr. Suljic had boarded the plane. Interpol  then relayed that tip  to the Italian authorities.  Mr. Suljic, the subject of an Interpol Red Notice, or international arrest warrant, had been targeted by the international law enforcement organization last year under Operation Infra-Red, a program ‘‘to locate and arrest serious long-term international fugitives.’
The Italian authorities believe that Suljic, a Slovenian, and one of his fellow countrymen, Dino Lalic, have served as the syndicate’s main operators in Italy since at least 2008. According to prosecutors, Suljic and Lalic dealt directly with soccer players to manipulate the matches and enable illicit gambling. They  stayed at the same hotel as Tan, the alleged boss of the syndicate,  on several occasions, and  they also traveled with him in a car from Slovenia to Italy in 2009, the authorities said. ’The Italian authorities disputed that characterization, saying  that Mr. Suljic  had approached them first, through his lawyer, essentially surrendering himself.
The announcement of  Suljic’s arrest coincided with an Interpol conference on match-fixing Thursday in Kuala Lumpur. Ronald K. Noble, the American who leads Interpol, said in a statement that  law enforcement officials ‘‘must be given the legal framework to share information with a global impact in the midst of active investigations,’’ and that ‘‘the days of thinking only about the secrecy of the investigation within each individual jurisdiction are over.’’ Mr. Suljic is thought to be an associate of Tan Seet Eng, a Singaporean also known as Dan Tan, who has been implicated in suspected match-fixing cases dating back more than a decade.
Noble did not mention  Tan by name, but European law enforcement officials said  at a conference in The Hague this month that Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for  Tan, but had been thus far frustrated by Singapore’s refusal to extradite him. It was perhaps the biggest breakthrough in the case since Wilson Raj Perumal, also an associate of Mr. Tan, was arrested in Finland for bribing players and convicted in 2011.
Noble said at the conference that the arrest of  Suljic was ‘‘important because the world believes that law enforcement can’t do anything to take down this criminal organization,’’ The Associated Press reported. In a statement Thursday, the Singapore Police Force said  Mr. Tan  ‘‘is currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations.’’
But the Singapore police appeared Thursday to be signaling a willingness to act, saying in a statement they were sending four senior officers to the Interpol headquarters in Lyon. The officers will seek access to evidence, witnesses and  suspects involved in match-fixing cases, and will explore ‘‘avenues to offer our assistance.’’ The case has turned an awkward spotlight on Singapore, a city-state with a reputation for law and order. Law enforcement officials say privately that Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for  Mr. Tan on behalf of European prosecutors, but that they had been frustrated  by Singapore’s refusal to extradite him.
‘‘Those who doubted Singapore’s ability or commitment to fight match-fixing and bring those wanted for arrest to justice need to understand that Singapore acts when the evidence exists and is shared and when their laws permit,’’  Mr. Noble said in a separate  statement announcing the arrest. It was not immediately clear if Mr. Tan’s help had played a role in Mr. Suljic’s arrest. The Singapore authorities did not say whether Mr. Tan was being detained, nor whether they were now prepared to extradite him.
Officials from Europol and other European law enforcement bodies said Feb. 4 that they had identified 680 matches worldwide that appeared to have been fixed over the past few years, including at the very height of the sport, in World Cup qualifiers and the Champions League. They did not respond to a request for comment beyond the statement.
But  the Singapore police did appear Thursday to be signaling greater cooperation, saying in a separate statement that they were sending four senior officers to the Interpol headquarters in Lyon. The officers will seek access to evidence, witnesses and  suspects involved in match-fixing cases, and will explore ‘‘avenues to offer our assistance.’’
The Italian authorities believe that Mr. Suljic, a Slovenian, and one of his fellow countrymen, Dino Lalic, have served as the syndicate’s main operators in Italy since at least 2008.  According to prosecutors, Mr. Suljic and Mr. Lalic dealt directly with soccer players to manipulate the matches and enable illicit gambling.
They  stayed at the same hotel as Mr. Tan, the alleged boss of the match-fixing network,  on several occasions, and  they also traveled with him in a car from Slovenia to Italy in 2009, the authorities said.
Mr. Suljic retired as a player in 2009 after playing for top division Slovenian clubs Rudar Velenje and Nafta Lendava as well as lower tier ones in Hungary and Austria, Reuters reported.
The announcement of  Mr. Suljic’s arrest coincided with an Interpol conference on match-fixing Thursday in Kuala Lumpur. Ronald K. Noble, the American who leads Interpol, called  in a statement  for   law enforcement officials to be ‘‘given the legal framework to share information with a global impact in the midst of active investigations,’’ and that ‘‘the days of thinking only about the secrecy of the investigation within each individual jurisdiction are over.’’
‘‘The arrest of this suspected match-fixer could not have been achieved without Italy and Singapore’s close cooperation with Interpol, nor without a great deal of behind-the-scenes work by prosecutors and magistrates,’’ Mr. Noble said.
‘‘Those who doubted Singapore’s ability or commitment to fight match-fixing and bring those wanted for arrest to justice need to understand that Singapore acts when the evidence exists and is shared and when their laws permit,’’  Mr. Noble said in a separate statement announcing the arrest.

Gaia Pianigiani reported from Rome, and David Jolly from Paris.

Gaia Pianigiani reported from Rome, and David Jolly from Paris.