30/08/2010

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/cricket/2010/08/30/pakistan-cricket-stars-quizzed-by-police-over-6million-bungs-115875-22523740/

Match-fixing crooks may have raked in at least £20million from Pakistan's matches in England this summer.

And the cut to players involved in the alleged scam could be around £6million, a police source claimed last night.

Investigators quizzing a number of stars are looking at every match the team has played. It follows allegations that the latest Test was rigged after a £150,000 bung was handed to agent Mazhar Majeed.

An expert said: "There are huge amounts of money involved. A well-organised gang could easily have bagged tens of millions in a worldwide gambling operation."

Furious cricket fans booed and pelted Pakistan's team bus with tomatoes at Lord's yesterday following the shock allegations of match-fixing.

They vented their anger as Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousef Raza Gilani said the scandal had made his country "bow its head in shame".

He ordered an immediate inquiry - vowing that any player found guilty will be banned for life. The country's sports minister Ijaz Jakhrani said: "If the inquiry implicates anyone they will face exemplary punishment." And cricket legend Imran Khan admitted: "It's a very depressing day for Pakistan cricket."

Players ran the gauntlet of jeering fans after crashing to a massive innings and 225 runs defeat by England. The protest came as it was revealed police have seized cash, computers and players' mobile phones. And Customs and Excise chiefs investigating the agent at the centre of the allegations arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of money laundering.

Officers also swooped on the agent's £1.8million mansion. He is being held on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud.

Three Pakistan players have been questioned over claims they were involved in the scam. Brief statements were taken from skipper Salman Butt, fast bowlers Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif and wicket keeper Kamran Akmal. They are expected to be re-interviewed soon.

The Mirror understands the police are due to decide whether they should be treated as potential witnesses or suspects in a conspiracy case.

Detectives are believed to be looking for anything that might show the players had knowledge of a deal, filmed by a Sunday newspaper, in which agent Mazhar Majeed, 35, appears to accept £150,000 to provide information on exact timings of three no-balls bowled by Amir and Asif.

The deal was allegedly to demonstrate how play could be manipulated - a scam known as "spot-fixing".

The inside information could have been worth hundreds of thousands of pounds to gamblers - and bookmakers.

In separate operations police and Inland Revenue investigators first went to the home of Majeed, in Croydon, Surrey.

They spent several hours at the Victorian six-bedroom mansion and arrested a 35-year-old woman and a man, also 35. In Wembley a 49-year-old man was also held on suspicion of money laundering.

It is understood officers have been looking at Majeed's business interests for some time and swooped after he allegedly boasted on film of laundering money through his involvement with a local football team.