French police have arrested three Eiffel Tower tourist scammers. The two men and a woman, originally from Romania, were arrested in the north eastern Paris suburb of Seine-Saint-Denis following a months-long investigation.
According to The South African, police seized more than 16 000 euros (almost $17 000), (about R273 000) in cash, three luxury cars, foreign currency and money transfer slips. They suspect the three of deceiving tourists into betting on a shell game — where the victim tries to guess which cup hides a ball — with the promise of winning significant amounts of cash if successful.
The tourist is lured in by fake players, and never wins. “The entry ticket was 50 euros (about R800) and each table could earn up to 1000 euros (about R17 000) an hour,” the source said.
40 FAKE PLAYERS AT THE FOOT OF EIFFEL TOWER
The investigation led by the Paris police prefecture’s illegal immigration unit began in October 2021.
Investigators identified about forty fake players and lookouts involved with half a dozen tables, the source added. All of them were from Romania. In recent weeks, French police have conducted several operations to fight against scams or irregular street vendors, as tourists flock back to the City of Light with the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Eiffel Tower is one of the world’s most famous buildings and welcomes some seven million visitors a year.
