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More than 50 people were arrested throughout Italy on Tuesday and more than 70 placed under investigation as part of a widespread match-fixing inquiry led by anti-Mafia prosecutors in the southern town of Catanzaro. According to police, the sweep allegedly involves "dozens" of fixed matches in Italian football's third and fourth division and includes clubs Pro Patria, Barletta, Brindisi, L'Aquila, Neapolis Mugnano, Torres, Vigor-Lametia, Santarcangelo, Sorrento, Montalto, Puteolana, Akragas, and San Severo. Charges include criminal association aimed at sports fraud, with some linked to Mafia organizations -- one in particular to the "'Ndrangheta" organised crime syndicate -- and one police officer was held. Catanzaro prosecutors allegedly have uncovered a network between footballers, coaches, club presidents and management members involving more than 30 clubs. It wasn't immediately clear if the sweep was linked to the Last Bet operation that has resulted in more than 100 people placed under investigation in Italy since mid-2011, with suspect Serie A and B matches being looked at by prosecutors in the cities of Cremona, Bari and Naples.
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