HONG KONG, May 30, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - Hong Kong police have arrested 12 more people including two top-flight players and a coach over allegations of match-fixing in domestic football for illegal gambling.

This week's arrests were in connection to an operation codenamed "Green Grass" launched in May last year by the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Eleven footballers were arrested initially and more raids were conducted this week on more than 20 premises.

The allegations span three football seasons.

"The commission... further arrested 12 people after investigation revealed that members of football clubs were bribed for match-fixing to facilitate profiting from illegal gambling", the ICAC said Wednesday.

"Among the arrestees are the mastermind and backbone members of the scheme."

Those arrested this week were all men aged between 24 and 54 and included a head coach and two players from a club in the Hong Kong Premier League.

Also arrested were players and a coach from lower-league football.

"It is alleged that the two coaches arrested in the operation, by giving secret signals to the football players, manipulated the match results, such as the number of goals or corner kicks, or the match scores," the ICAC said.