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Arrests made after match-fixing in women's top flight, men's fourth tier in Spain

Spanish police have arrested 21 people relating to match-fixing allegations in the women's top flight and the men's fourth tier, authorities announced on Tuesday.

The arrests were carried out in the regions of Andalusia and Extremadura as part of operation "Cortes" launched by police, in conjunction with Europol.

A police statement on Twitter said: "21 arrested in an operation against match-fixing relating to football games in the men's third division (fourth tier) and the women's first division. With the cooperation of Europol."

Both operations reportedly stem from a claim filed on March 2017 in a court in Zafra, Badajoz.

In February, 31 people were detained across the country on charges of being part of an illegal Chinese betting syndicate.

Last year, the general director of anti-fixing organisation Federbet warned that fixing was widespread in Spain's lower divisions.

In April 2017, Spanish police arrested several people, including players and the coach of third-tier side Eldense, following the club's 12-0 defeat at Barcelona B.