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Italian Police Arrest Suspect in International Soccer Fixing Italian Police Arrest Suspect in International Soccer Fixing
(about 2 hours later)
ROME – The Italian police said on Thursday that they had detained an important suspect in an investigation of soccer-match fixing with roots in a Singapore crime syndicate. 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.
Admir Suljic, 31, was apprehended at Milan’s Malpensa airport on arrival from Singapore, investigators said. He was 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 Mr. Suljic is criminal association targeted to international sports fraud, the officials said. 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.
Mr. Suljic's arrest was made on a tip from the Singapore police, delivered through Interpol, that he had boarded the plane. 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." Mr. Suljic is believed 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. 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 Italian authorities believe that Mr. Suljic, a Slovenian, and one of his 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. Mr. Suljic and Mr. Lalic stayed at the same hotel as the alleged boss of the syndicate, Mr. Tan, on several occasions; they also traveled with him in a car from Slovenia to Italy in 2009, the authorities 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.
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, 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.” In a statement Thursday, the Singapore Police Force said  Tan  ‘‘is currently assisting Singapore authorities in their investigations.’’
Mr. Noble did not mention Mr. Tan by name, but European law enforcement officials said earlier this month at a conference in The Hague that Interpol had issued an international arrest warrant for him, but have been thus far frustrated by Singapore’s refusal to extradite him. 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.
Mr. Noble said at the conference that the arrest of Mr. Suljic was “important because the world believes that law enforcement can’t do anything to take down this criminal organization,” The Associated Press reported. 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.’’
But the Singapore police appeared Thursday to be signaling a willingness to act, saying they were sending four senior officers to the Interpol headquarters in Lyon, France. The officers will seek access to evidence, witnesses and suspects involved in match-fixing cases, and will explore “avenues to offer our assistance and share available information we have with these affected countries.” 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.
"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 statement on Thursday. 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.
Officials from Europol and other European law enforcement bodies said on Feb. 4 that they had identified 680 matches worldwide that appeared to have been fixed in the last few years, including World Cup qualifiers and Champions League contests. 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.’’
‘‘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.
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.

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

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