Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Bangladesh catch World Cup ticket cheats

Bangladesh's elite security force has jailed four people for two years each for printing fake tickets for the cricket World Cup, an official said on Tuesday.

The Rapid Action Battalion raided a printing press in Dhaka late Monday and caught the four printing fake tickets for Thursday's opening ceremony, RAB spokesman Commander Mohammad Sohail told AFP.

"All four were handed out two-year jail terms by a magistrate who accompanied us in the raid," he said. "The printing press and computers attached to it have been sealed and will be auctioned."

Sohail said the culprits had mastered the art of printing fake tickets for special events like concerts and football and cricket matches.

"They have a sophisticated machine and software," he said. "We have also seized a genuine ticket for the opening ceremony from which they copied the fakes."

The fake tickets were priced at 1,000 taka (14 dollars) each, according to Sohail.

Bangladesh has been gripped by cricket fever in the run-up to the World Cup which it co-hosts for the first time with India and Sri Lanka.

After Thursday's opening ceremony, Bangladesh will host eight matches including two quarter-finals.

Bangladesh is due to meet India in the tournament's opening match in Dhaka on Saturday.

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