International policing cooperation and South African Government inter-departmental coordination resulted in ten “Barrabravas” being identified as they were on route to South Africa and prohibited from entering the country on Sunday morning at OR Tambo Airport.
Based on intelligence provided by the South African Police Service’s crime intelligence division, ten Argentinean football hooligans (known as Barrabravas) were placed on an immigration list prohibiting their entry into this country by the Department of Home Affairs.
Intelligence indicated that these persons would commit acts of public disorder, engage in acts of violence and provoke conflict with certain fans of opponent teams and other groups from Argentina during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. They are known to have a history of being involved in crime and antagonising local law enforcement agencies.
The group of Barrabravas boarded a flight to South Africa from Luanda and landed at OR Tambo Airport just after 13h00 on Sunday. They were immediately intercepted and refused entry into the country. At least two of the individuals are leadership figures within the Barrabravas, while a third one is out on bail for murder.
This interception was a groundbreaking move on the part of the South African Police Service and the Department of Home Affairs, assisted by the International Police Cooperation Centre set up specifically for the World Cup and at which Argentinean Police officers are deployed. This move sends out a strong signal that the police’s crime intelligence division is closely monitoring the movement of known football hooligans and that government will not tolerate their presence accompanied by their loutish and violent behaviour in our country.
The ten Barrabravas have been in custody since yesterday and will be repatriated to Argentina today.
The National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NATJOINTS) congratulate the South African Police Service’s crime intelligence division, the International Police Cooperation Centre and the Department of Home Affairs on a job well done.
Enquiries:
Brigadier Sally de Beer
Cell: 082 779 8658
Issued by: Ministry of Police
7 June 2010
Source: Ministry of Police (http://www.saps.gov.za)
