Racing: Seven charged over alleged harness race-fixing

  • 05/09/2018
Harness racing
Harness racing. Photo credit: Getty

Seven people have reportedly been charged, as part of Operation Inca, a police investigation in race-fixing in the harness racing.

A 26-year-old man will appear in Christchurch District Court on Wednesday, charged with deception by match-fixing, possessing Class B drugs for supply and supply Class B drugs.

Four others are scheduled to appear in Christchurch District Court next Tuesday on match-fixing charges.

A 41-year-old women will appear on the same day, charged with two counts of supplying Class B drugs, while a 47-year-old man will answer charges of deception by match-fixing in the Palmerston North District Court.

On Tuesday, police executed nine search warrants in Christchurch, one in Invercargill and another in Manawatu.

Operation Inca has been underway since April 2017, sparked by the Racing Integrity Unit (RIU).

"Today's warrants were the result of a long-running investigation by the National Organised Crime Group into alleged corruption within the harness-racing industry," Detective Superintendent Tim Anderson told Newshub on Tuesday.

"Police take such allegations very seriously and are committed to working with the relevant bodies to ensure New Zealand sport is corruption-free."

Anyone with relevant information towards this investigation are urged to contact police on harness@police.govt.nz or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Newshub.