Police raid three football clubs
17/07/2007 |
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Police have raided three football clubs as part of an investigation into alleged corruption.
Newcastle United, Portsmouth and Rangers are the three clubs involved in the raids.
The operation is not connected to Lord Stevens's ongoing Quest inquiry into the Premiership and was "totally independent", police said.
Search warrants were executed on the club premises and two homes between 0730 and 0900 BST.
A City of London Police spokesman said: "We can confirm that search warrants were served at three football clubs and the homes of two individuals in connection with corruption in football and its impact on owners and shareholders."
'Criminal activity'
Newcastle United issued a statement confirming the club was visited by police.
"The club itself is not the subject of the investigation," it said.
"If the investigation by the City of London Police, or the ongoing internal review of operations by the club's new owners, show that the club has been the victim of any criminal activity, the club will take appropriate action."
A Northumbria Police spokesman said they were aware that "an operation" had been carried out by their London colleagues at St James' Park, the home of Newcastle United.
A spokesman for Rangers said: "Rangers football club was asked to co-operate with a police investigation and have done so, extending every co-operation to police.
"We have been requested by police not to comment further while the investigation is on-going."
Strathclyde Police confirmed that its officers had executed a search warrant on behalf of City of London Police.
Gary Double, director of communications at Portsmouth, said on Monday: "We can confirm police arrived around 10am today.
"We have co-operated fully with their search and will not be commenting further."
On-going inquiry
Detectives from the economic crime unit at City of London Police are investigating allegations of corruption within football and its impact on owners and shareholders.
Last month, they arrested a 61-year-old man in Manchester on suspicion of money laundering.
The BBC's Andy Swiss said police had denied any link between Monday's raids and the Stevens inquiry.
But he said the BBC had learned that information about 17 player transfers had been passed to the City of London Police by the Quest team.
(Source: BBC.co.uk)
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