Police in Beijing have tracked down four online football gambling rings and captured 24 people involved since the World Cup tournament in Germany started last month.

In the latest case, police caught a man surnamed Guo, who they say is the general agent on the Chinese mainland for an overseas gambling company.

Beijing Evening Post said yesterday Guo is the highest-level member of a gambling ring the city's police have ever caught.

In February, officers found two men surnamed Wei and Sun they suspected of organizing online gambling.

Further investigation led police to Guo, who they say was the boss of Wei and Sun.

The gang changed cars and residences from time to time.

On Saturday night, police officers launched a citywide swoop.

Guo was detained in an apartment near the Chaoyang Park. Officers detained other people in different parts of the city and nine computers.

Police say online gambling the ring organized in June involved more than 17 million yuan (US$2.12 million). 

(Shanghai Daily Agency July 7, 2006)