Seventeen Argentina fans considered a threat to Soccer World Cup stability will be deported following their detention by police on Wednesday morning, spokesperson Brigadier Sally de Beer said.
They had been seen at two matches allegedly trying to enter stadiums without tickets and had behaved in a disorderly fashion, roughing up other fans and “generally causing trouble”, she said in a statement.
Police and their dog unit raided an establishment in Pretoria at 7am on Wednesday, where 165 fans were staying.
“The group of 17 was handed over to the national immigration branch of the Department of Home Affairs, which will deal with their deportation,” said De Beer.
Five other Argentinian fans, whose activities police were monitoring, voluntarily left the country on Wednesday morning. On June 12, the police said they had refused entry to 11 other Argentinians believed to be threat to security, and a British national who had a history of inciting racial violence. — Sapa