ICAC and Hong Kong Police arrest 19 in football match-fixing and illegal betting operation
Operation Double-edged resulted in the arrest of nine men by the ICAC and nine men plus two women by police.
Hong Kong.- The Independent Commission Against Corruption and the Hong Kong Police Force claim to have arrested 19 people in a joint operation targeting a syndicate that fixed results in football matches and ran illegal bookmaking. The operation, codenamed Double-edged, resulted in the arrest of nine men by the ICAC and nine men plus two women by police.
The ICAC arrested two coaches, one from a First Division club and one from a Hong Kong Premier League U-22 club, and seven football players from three First Division clubs. One of the ICAC arrestees was also taken into custody by police. The police arrested five alleged syndicate members and six gamblers.
Investigations reportedly uncovered irregularities in at least four First Division matches during the 2024/25 and 2025/26 seasons and one U-22 match in the 2025/26 season. The syndicate allegedly used serving and former players as betting agents who collected wagers from acquaintances, including people connected to football. A portion of bets was allegedly used to bribe other players to manipulate match outcomes so the group could profit.
Over the course of two to three years of operation, the organisation is alleged to have processed an estimated HK$6m in illicit gaming transactions. Law enforcement investigators searched a residential apartment and an office, seizing betting slips and HK$120,000 in cash. Officers also recovered a laptop and other electronic equipment as part of the evidence collection procedure.
The ICAC said the probe originated from an earlier corruption investigation into match-fixing. The agency continues to investigate and has not ruled out further arrests.
