midfielder
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10 People arrested today over match fixing in Victoria ...
DG just gave a press conference...
http://www.news.com.au/national-new...atchfixing-probe/story-fnii5sms-1226719446123
BREAKING: ARRESTS have been made in Melbourne as part of an international match-fixing probe.
The Purana taskforce has been investigating an alleged $2 million in betting on Victorian Premier League soccer fixture, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
Ten people have been arrested over the probe.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed that the club under suspicion was the Southern Stars Football Club, a cellar dweller in the Victorian Premier League.
The club has a heavy negative goals differential this season.
The alleged betting involved head-to-head, margin and spot wagering, which is a type of gambling done during the course of matches.
Those arrested were nine international players from the club and the coach, who were all in custody this afternoon.
Mr Ashton said he expected they would be charged under new offences established earlier this year.
He said it was unclear exactly how much money was allegedly involved.
"We don't have the full quantum yet," he said.
He said the alleged betting was done offshore in Asian countries including India and Singapore.
Unusual results sparked the interest of authorities and these were later compared with punting on those games.
"We're looking at every game they've played this season," Detective Superintendent Gerry Ryan said.
Mr Ashton said he was not surprised at the volume of betting on such a second tier competition.
"We're happy this sends a message overseas that we're not a soft touch," he said.
The Southern Stars club president Tony Kiranci has switched off his mobile phone.
The club boasts on its website how its main aim is to play a "fair game" and "become ongoing participants in one of Australia's most important leagues".
The site goes on to say that with the support of fans and sponsors, "we will add colour and vibe to the premier league".
Many of players arrested are from the United Kingdom and were playing in the Victorian league in their off-season.
The arrests have shocked Australian soccer chiefs with Football Federation Victoria - the state's governing body - holding urgent talks with Football Federation this afternoon to establish how the scandal could have occurred and what response to take.
A source said Victorian soccer chief were "absolutely shocked" by the news.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said detecting, disrupting and deterring this kind of illegal activity was crucial to maintaining the integrity of sport in Australia.
"Further match fixing risks are imminent in Australia, partly because of localised overseas betting on Australian sporting events due to our favourable time zone," Mr Ashton said.
"It is vital that we continue gathering intelligence to take preventative action to make it difficult for organised crime to infiltrate our sporting codes.
"Our Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit plays an important role in this space and will continue to conduct high level intelligence investigations across a range of serious organised and emerging crime within the sporting and racing industries.
"It's believed there has been estimated betting winnings in Australia and overseas of more than $2 million identified to date in connection with this particular operation.
"We will continue to work with the relevant sporting codes and the Australian Crime Commission to create an environment that is hostile to those seeking to engage in illegal activities involving our sporting codes."
The investigation started in August after information was received from Football Federation of Australia.
Victorian acting police minister Edward O'Donohue said he wouldn't comment on the specific investigation because it was ongoing but said the case highlighted the need to remain "absolutely vigilant" about integrity in sport.
"All of us as Victorians, as a community value our sports, value integrity in sport and more importantly than that sport in Victoria is a great driver of jobs and of economic activity," Mr O'Donohue said.
He said the government passed laws earlier this year increasing the penalties for current behaviour associated with sport to a maximum of 10 years, Victoria Police had set up an integrity in sport unit and Premier Denis Napthine had written to the Commonwealth government supporting changes to the federal laws to better allow information sharing between police and peak sporting bodies.
"From a Victorian perspective we are doing everything we can," Mr O'Donohue said.
"This is a very serious issue, which the Victorian government takes in a very serious manner.
He said the issue of information sharing was in the hands of the Federal Government.
"We would support appropriate information sharing between the Victoria Police and peak sporting organisations," he said.
"We agree with police that better information sharing would be a benefit to integrity in sport in Victoria."
He said the "online environment", with overseas websites taking bets, was creating some challenges but it was an area of Federal responsibility.
Those arrested could face match-fixing charges, which carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.
A tall man was escorted into St Kilda Rd Police station about 1pm today with a blue hooded top covering his face.
But police refused to say if the arrest was linked to the match fixing bust.
The State Government and soccer officials are expected to comment later today.
DG just gave a press conference...
http://www.news.com.au/national-new...atchfixing-probe/story-fnii5sms-1226719446123
BREAKING: ARRESTS have been made in Melbourne as part of an international match-fixing probe.
The Purana taskforce has been investigating an alleged $2 million in betting on Victorian Premier League soccer fixture, a Victoria Police spokeswoman said.
Ten people have been arrested over the probe.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton confirmed that the club under suspicion was the Southern Stars Football Club, a cellar dweller in the Victorian Premier League.
The club has a heavy negative goals differential this season.
The alleged betting involved head-to-head, margin and spot wagering, which is a type of gambling done during the course of matches.
Those arrested were nine international players from the club and the coach, who were all in custody this afternoon.
Mr Ashton said he expected they would be charged under new offences established earlier this year.
He said it was unclear exactly how much money was allegedly involved.
"We don't have the full quantum yet," he said.
He said the alleged betting was done offshore in Asian countries including India and Singapore.
Unusual results sparked the interest of authorities and these were later compared with punting on those games.
"We're looking at every game they've played this season," Detective Superintendent Gerry Ryan said.
Mr Ashton said he was not surprised at the volume of betting on such a second tier competition.
"We're happy this sends a message overseas that we're not a soft touch," he said.
The Southern Stars club president Tony Kiranci has switched off his mobile phone.
The club boasts on its website how its main aim is to play a "fair game" and "become ongoing participants in one of Australia's most important leagues".
The site goes on to say that with the support of fans and sponsors, "we will add colour and vibe to the premier league".
Many of players arrested are from the United Kingdom and were playing in the Victorian league in their off-season.
The arrests have shocked Australian soccer chiefs with Football Federation Victoria - the state's governing body - holding urgent talks with Football Federation this afternoon to establish how the scandal could have occurred and what response to take.
A source said Victorian soccer chief were "absolutely shocked" by the news.
Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton said detecting, disrupting and deterring this kind of illegal activity was crucial to maintaining the integrity of sport in Australia.
"Further match fixing risks are imminent in Australia, partly because of localised overseas betting on Australian sporting events due to our favourable time zone," Mr Ashton said.
"It is vital that we continue gathering intelligence to take preventative action to make it difficult for organised crime to infiltrate our sporting codes.
"Our Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit plays an important role in this space and will continue to conduct high level intelligence investigations across a range of serious organised and emerging crime within the sporting and racing industries.
"It's believed there has been estimated betting winnings in Australia and overseas of more than $2 million identified to date in connection with this particular operation.
"We will continue to work with the relevant sporting codes and the Australian Crime Commission to create an environment that is hostile to those seeking to engage in illegal activities involving our sporting codes."
The investigation started in August after information was received from Football Federation of Australia.
Victorian acting police minister Edward O'Donohue said he wouldn't comment on the specific investigation because it was ongoing but said the case highlighted the need to remain "absolutely vigilant" about integrity in sport.
"All of us as Victorians, as a community value our sports, value integrity in sport and more importantly than that sport in Victoria is a great driver of jobs and of economic activity," Mr O'Donohue said.
He said the government passed laws earlier this year increasing the penalties for current behaviour associated with sport to a maximum of 10 years, Victoria Police had set up an integrity in sport unit and Premier Denis Napthine had written to the Commonwealth government supporting changes to the federal laws to better allow information sharing between police and peak sporting bodies.
"From a Victorian perspective we are doing everything we can," Mr O'Donohue said.
"This is a very serious issue, which the Victorian government takes in a very serious manner.
He said the issue of information sharing was in the hands of the Federal Government.
"We would support appropriate information sharing between the Victoria Police and peak sporting organisations," he said.
"We agree with police that better information sharing would be a benefit to integrity in sport in Victoria."
He said the "online environment", with overseas websites taking bets, was creating some challenges but it was an area of Federal responsibility.
Those arrested could face match-fixing charges, which carry a penalty of up to 10 years in jail.
A tall man was escorted into St Kilda Rd Police station about 1pm today with a blue hooded top covering his face.
But police refused to say if the arrest was linked to the match fixing bust.
The State Government and soccer officials are expected to comment later today.
