Five players from Montenegro’s first and second division clubs were arrested yesterday on suspicion of match-fixing, the Balkan country’s interior ministry said.

“Police have reason to believe that the arrested suspects have committed a felony of forming a criminal enterprise to arrange the outcome of competitive events,” senior police official Milovan Pavicevic told a news conference.

“A several month-long investigation, aided by the Montenegrin Football Association, the state prosecutor’s office, police from countries in the region and UEFA, has gathered evidence which will show that the criminal group has engaged in this felony over a long period of time.

“They have made an overall illegal profit of €75,000 for themselves and others from August 27, 2014 until the moment of their arrest by fixing the outcomes of five Montenegrin football league matches.

“Having arranged the results, they also placed bets on the outcomes of those games with bookmakers in Montenegro as well as in countries in the region.”

The police statement said four of the five players were formerly with first division side Berane and the other is still at the club.

Police did not release the suspects’ names, stating only their initials and age.