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Italian police have detained more than 50 individuals, including football players, coaches and club owners in a series of raids in 21 provinces.
Authorities claim the Calabrian mafia, the ‘Ndrangheta, is behind a match-fixing ring tied to at least 30 football clubs and those taken into custody. Another 20 people were under investigation.
Prosecutors in the southern city of Catanzaro claim the criminal networks netted millions in betting profits by influencing the results of dozens of matches of Italy’s third and fourth division between the period September 2014 to April 2015.
"[They] were plotting to extend the fixes to Serie B and bigger matches," prosecutor Vincenzo Antonio Lombardo told a press conference.
Detectives tapped phone calls as part of what was codenamed in English “Dirty Soccer”. The criminal organization allegedly had ties to investors in Serbia, Malta, Turkey and Kasakhstan.
Prosecutor Giovanni Bombardieri said violence was also involved. "There have been cases of abduction and beatings. Some seriously dangerous people are implicated," he said.
"Probably in situations like these there needs to be better control of the leagues and more checks required," Italian coaches' association president Renzo Ulivieri told Gazzetta dello Sport. "If this is the situation, we're facing an absolute emergency."
Police say clubs involved include Pro Patria, Barletta, Brindisi, L’Aquila, Neapolis Mugnano, Torres, Vigor-Lametia, Santarcangelo, Sorrento, Montalto, Puteolana, Akragas and San Severo.
- Alistair Prescott, Gambling911.com
