KUALA LUMPUR: Bukit Aman is coming down hard on illegal gambling during the FIFA World Cup competition with more than 500 bookies nabbed.
The syndicates would operate from various premises, including a condominium and an office.
They would also switch from one place to another to avoid detection but the police were on to their ruse.
Bukit Aman CID anti-vice, gambling and secret societies division (D7) have already nabbed 549 bookies and punters nationwide in a special operation codenamed Ops Soga between Nov 19 and Dec 14.
Among the arrests were 151 individuals detained in Selangor, followed by Kuala Lumpur (90), Johor (56), Sarawak (51) and Penang (32).
As the competition progressed, the police have also stepped up its raids.
According to the police, since the beginning of the tournament in Qatar, 433 raids have been conducted around the country.
It included 133 raids conducted in Selangor, followed by Johor (55), Sarawak (40), 39 each in Kuala Lumpur and Sarawak, Kedah (29) and Sabah (22).
As of Dec 14, various items have been seized in Ops Soga raids, including RM493,487 in cash, around RM21mil in online credits, 20 computers, 11 laptops and 496 phones.
Police secretary Deputy Comm Datuk Noorsiah Mohd Saaduddin had previously said the police would take stern action against those who are involved in illegal gambling.
Those with information on illegal gambling activities can contact Ops Soga hotline at 016-5773477.
