LIVERPOOL FC ISSUES 432 LIFETIME BANS IN TICKET TOUT CRACKDOWN

Liverpool FC and Merseyside Police have issued 432 lifetime bans and seized £1.2m in assets as part of a joint investigation into ticket touting. The operation analysed almost 700,000 ticket registrations during last season and targeted the laundering of criminal proceeds from illicit ticket sales. Two people have been convicted under the Proceeds of Crime Act, with another due in court next month. The seized assets will be split between Merseyside Police and the Home Office.

The club blocked or cancelled 67,663 suspected fake accounts last season, with a further 121,379 accounts remaining under investigation. Liverpool also issued 115 indefinite suspensions, where account holders face an average three-year wait before applying for reinstatement. Most bans were imposed for unauthorised selling of season tickets, membership tickets or hospitality tickets. Additional bans and suspensions were issued for racist and homophobic abuse, inappropriate touching or language, assault, and tragedy chanting. Investigations outside Anfield on match days resulted in a 33% increase in burner phones identified or seized.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Suffield of Merseyside Police's economic crime team stated the force would continue targeting touts operating both online and on match days. He advised football supporters not to purchase tickets from touts. The operation represents the first collaboration of its kind between a Premier League club and their local police authority's economic crime team, according to the reports.