The crackdown netted low level ticket touts as well as organised gangs involved in ticket fraud and counterfeiting, to combat crime at the London Games.
“In total, since we started in June 2010, we’ve made over 90 arrests in relation to a wide range of criminality and we’ve disrupted over 10 criminal networks, so we are very active. We also have a number of ongoing operations which I obviously can’t discuss.
“Our approach is very much about a pre-emptive strike. We’ve looked at what activity is ongoing throughout the UK and internationally today. It’s our expectation that that activity will replicate itself for the London Olympics. Bearing in mind it’s the biggest sporting event in the world, it’s going to be a massive opportunity for the criminals to exploit.”
The London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act makes it a criminal offence, punishable by fines of up to £20,000, to sell tickets on the black market.
Official 2012 tickets will not be sent out to purchasers until next June could reduce the likelihood of a flood of counterfeit tickets hitting the market, though Downing said his team were not complacent.
“We will look at that activity and we will look at the intelligence we have,” he said. “We are actively looking into the counterfeiting market and we want to take action in that area way before the Games start.”
“As soon as people start looking elsewhere to buy their tickets, they become vulnerable, whether that’s a small ad in their local newspaper or an ad on the web,” he said.
“What we don’t want is the UK public and international public becoming vulnerable to buying a non-existent ticket or a counterfeit ticket because they don’t know any better. As soon as you allow things to go out of control, opportunities for the criminals grow.”
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