Police in Vietnam have arrested 18 people suspected of illegal online betting on international soccer matches, police said Monday.

"We arrested several people early Sunday," a police official in Ho Chi Minh City said without elaborating.

The raid was organized in 13 different locations. 18 people were detained and around 7 billion dong (US$437,000) were confiscated on the spot, said the daily Thanh Nien newspaper.

The arrested men had received betting orders on the English Premier League from local gamblers and then passed them abroad.

Major syndicates bet on foreign matches, but since 2000-2001 season, the domestic V-League has also been marred by allegations of corruption and match-fixing among players.

(Xinhua News Agency December 26, 2006)