site.btaMatch-Fixing Ring Broken Up by Interpol, Spanish Police

The Spanish National Police, in cooperation with the Spanish Tax Agency, Europol and Interpol, have dismantled an organized crime ring suspected of manipulating sporting events and using satellite technology to obtain information on the results of sports matches before bookmakers, Interpol said.

Twenty-three suspects have been arrested, including one of the group's leaders, who has been placed on an international wanted list with an Interpol red notice.

The criminal network was made up of people of Romanian and Bulgarian origin.

Its members arranged matches outside Spain by bribing athletes, mainly from Romania and Bulgaria, France-Presse reported. Once the results were agreed, members of the Spanish-based criminal group made online bets on a huge scale, Interpol said.

A trader from a major bookmaker was among those arrested.