The Thanh Nien, a Vietnamese daily newspaper, has reported that Vietnamese Police have arrested 18 people suspected of illegal online betting. The wagering allegedly took place on High profile English Premier League soccer matches police said. A police official in Ho Chi Minh City said "We arrested several people early Sunday,". No further details were given. The raids took place in 13 different locations. 18 people were arrested and almost US$437,000 was seized. It is alleged by Vietnamese authorities that the detained men received wagers from local gamblers and then passed them to bookies abroad.
It is well known that major Asian syndicates wager amounts in the millions of dollars on international soccer matches. Since the 2000 football season, the Vietnamese domestic Soccer League has also been tainted by allegations of corruption and match-fixing among officials and players.
