Soccer

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Singapore police questioning alleged football fix mastermind Tan

By: Heather Tan, The Associated Press

Posted: 02/22/2013 1:39 AM | Comments: 0 | Last Modified: 02/22/2013 11:08 AM

Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble, right, listens to FIFA's security director Ralf Mutschke before the start of a press conference after an Interpol conference to discuss match-fixing, in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Thursday, Feb. 21, 2013. The Interpol's chief said Singaporean police have notified authorities in Italy that a suspected match-fixer is flying to Milan. Noble said the man is wanted in Italy because he is allegedly working for Singaporean businessman Tan Seet Eng - known as Dan Tan - for whom Italian authorities have issued an arrest warrant. (AP Photo/Lai Seng Sin)

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Police Force has confirmed it is questioning the man who allegedly masterminded the rigging of hundreds of football games and some of the world's biggest matches.

"Dan Tan Seet Eng, a Singaporean who has been named in reports so far, is currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations," the police said in a statement issued late Thursday. "We have been offering assistance and sharing available information with affected countries and will continue to do so."

The move came after Italian police arrested Tan's alleged associate, Slovenian Admir Suljic, on Thursday.

Suljic, who is accused of criminal association aimed at sporting fraud, flew to Milan from Singapore to turn himself in to the authorities. He had been on the run since December 2011 and is considered a 'key element' in the probe into match-fixing between 2009 and 2011.

Interpol secretary general Ronald Noble said the arrest of Suljic, followed by the questioning of Tan, is "important because the world believes that law enforcement can't do anything to take down this criminal organization, the world believes that (Tan) and his associates can't be touched, that they are above the law."

Tan is accused of heading a crime syndicate that made millions of dollars betting on rigged Italian football matches.

An arrest warrant has also been issued for Tan but the Singapore Police Force did not say if it would turn him in to international authorities.

"We will follow the rule of law," Noble said. "The hope is that (the suspect) will co-operate with law enforcement and tell us all he knows."

Italian Police said Suljic would be taken to a prison in the city of Cremona.

"His direct involvement in the international criminal group, made of Singapore nationals and people from the Balkans, has emerged from the investigation," the Italian police statement said in a statement.

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