Race-fixing probe heads to Auckland

A police inquiry into harness race-fixing is now looking into races in Auckland. Police have charged 13 people in relation to Operation Inca, a long-running investigation by the National Organised Crime Group into alleged corruption in harness racing. In a statement yesterday, police said detectives had this week made further inquiries in the Auckland region, in conjunction with investigators from the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU). A number of people had been interviewed, and betting anomalies had been identified in at least one race in May,

2018. ‘‘The RIU is considering charges relating to the breach of rules around driver betting in relation to these anomalies,’’ the statement said. Further arrests were possible, police said. The 17-month-investigation culminated in raids on 17 properties in Canterbury, Manawatu¯ and Invercargill in early September. The inquiry, which covered alleged harness race-fixing, corruption and drugs in the sport, was unprecedented in New Zealand, police said at the time. Harness racing turns over about

$220 million a year in betting and receives about $40m from the New Zealand Racing Board. About 11,000 people are believed to own horses trained for harness racing. Detective Superintendent Tim Anderson said at the time of the arrests police did not yet know how much money could have been tied up in allegedly fixed races.