Mexico City police took a 24-year-old man into custody Wednesday after he allegedly tried to rent out his official World Cup credential through social media, which would have allowed someone else to gain unauthorized access to stadium venues, according to local authorities.
Officers apprehended the suspect near the Azteca Stadium after he attempted to reactivate his accreditation pass, the city’s Citizen Security Secretariat announced in an official statement.
Authorities were tipped off when a legal representative for World Cup organizers spotted the posts online and notified police. The amount the man was allegedly asking for the rental was not disclosed by authorities.
Mexico City is one of the host cities for the expanded 48-team World Cup tournament, with several matches scheduled there, including group-stage games involving Mexico. Also on Wednesday, first-time World Cup participants Uzbekistan were set to take on Colombia in a Group K contest in the capital.
The suspect, whose name was not released, has been transferred to the public prosecutor’s office, which will decide how to proceed with his case, the statement noted.
