Gardai make 15th arrest in match-fixing investigation

A FIFTEENTH person has been arrested as part of an investigation into alleged match-fixing in the League of Ireland.

The man, whose aged in his 20s, was detained this Tuesday morning as part of Operation Brookweed.

While there have been some arrests in Limerick previously, gardai have not confirmed the location of the latest search operation and arrest.

"The planned operation took place in the South of the country and one man was arrested by specialist detectives attached to The Anti-Bribery & Corruption Unit with additional support provided by local units attached to the Southern Region," said a spokesperson. 

The man has been arrested for the offence of Conspiracy to Defraud and is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a garda station in the Southern Region, which includes the Limerick garda division.

Operation Brookweed stems from an investigation opened at the Anti-Bribery & Corruption Unit in 2019 following reports of suspected match-fixing received from the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) and the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA). Ongoing assistance continues to be provided by INTERPOL officers.

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Speaking this Tuesday, Detective Superintendent Catharina Gunne of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau commented.

"Match-fixing and corruption is a threat to all sports at all levels and undermines public confidence in the fairness of sport. It can allow organised crime to infiltrate sport in order to use it to make illicit gains or launder proceeds of crime. The Anti-Bribery & Corruption Unit will take proactive action where necessary to disrupt such criminality. Match-fixers prey on young and vulnerable players in order to corrupt them for their ends. A conviction for involvement in match-fixing could result in a significant custodial sentence.”   

An Garda Síochána continues to appeal to any person who may have information in relation to match-fixing or sports corruption to report the matter in confidence to the Bribery and Corruption Confidential Reporting line – 1800 40 60 80 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or to their local Garda Station.