An illegal immigrant was arrested by authorities at a World Cup venue amid a major crackdown on drones at the soccer showdown, FBI officials confirmed on Monday.
Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, an illegal alien from Mexico with a prior cocaine distribution conviction, was detained after flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, the FBI announced.
Centennial Olympic Park is home to the city’s official fan events for the World Cup throughout the tournament. Atlanta hosted its first fixture on Monday afternoon with Spain suffering a shock draw against Cape Verde.
Rojas-Martinez faces federal charges for flying and for illegally re-entering the United States after two prior deportations, according to authorities.
According to the criminal complaint, he was observed operating a drone in restricted airspace near Centennial Olympic Park during a fan festival on June 12 – one day after the World Cup officially kicked off.
Rojas-Martinez was reported standing in a nearby parking area and recording video of the event on the device.
Lorenzo Rojas-Martinez, an illegal alien from Mexico, was arrested by the FBI after flying a drone over a World Cup fan area at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta
He was detained after flying a drone over Centennial Olympic Park (pictured) in Atlanta
After requesting his identification and reviewing his driver’s license, agents allegedly confirmed that he was unlawfully present in the United States following two prior removals. Rojas-Martinez has a prior conviction for cocaine distribution among other charges.
In addition to the arrest, Atlanta’s FBI branch also seized a total of 21 drones, including Rojas-Martinez’s, which were in violation of the strict ban on unauthorized aerial vehicles.
‘Unauthorized drone operations in restricted airspace present a serious risk to public safety, particularly during major international events such as the FIFA World Cup,’ said US Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.
‘This enforcement action reflects the coordinated efforts of our federal and local partners to detect, disrupt, and deter unlawful activity that could endanger spectators, athletes, and first responders.’
The FBI has banned the use of all drones over host stadiums and tournament-related fan events throughout the World Cup, which is the biggest in history, due to security concerns.
Those caught flying drones in restricted areas could face fines up to $100,000, as well as federal charges.
The bureau itself, however, is deploying its own drones over tournament venues to protect games from unauthorized aircraft.
Last week, an Iran-linked hacker group claimed to have breached FBI drones and threatened to target the World Cup, according to a report.
Fans gather to watch Mexico’s tournament opener against South Africa in the fan zone
The FBI has banned the use of all drones over host stadiums and tournament-related events
Handala, a prominent pro-Palestine cyber threat organization , is said to have alleged that it had obtained access to ‘every image and every suspect’ for months ahead of the soccer tournament.
The hackers said the first-person view (FPV) drones featured facial recognition and license plate screening, deployed for counterterrorism purposes, according to SITE Intelligence Group, which monitors jihadist movements.
‘Better tighten your World Cup security, we don’t like some of those teams at all. Don’t forget: FPVs are everywhere; you never know when one might end up right in your team’s bus,’ Handala warned in the statement quoted by SITE.
The Handala syndicate published alleged photos and footage that it said were taken from the hacked drones. However, SITE disputed that claim.
The Justice Department has previously warned of the potential for cyberattacks by Iranian actors following the US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February that triggered the latest conflict in the Middle East.
It marks the latest controversy to rock the blockbuster tournament, which has so far been plagued by travel chaos, violence, politics, cost and security.
Spain’s shock draw against Cape Verde marked the first game held in Atlanta on Monday
Visa and entry issues have provided a great source of contempt, with several fans, journalists and even officials having reportedly encountered problems obtaining visas or entering the US.
The most high-profile individual affected was Somali referee Omar Artan, regarded as one of Africa’s leading officials.
Despite being selected for the tournament, Artan was removed from FIFA’s list of referees after American authorities denied him entry upon arrival at Miami airport.
An official within the Donald Trump administration claimed this was due to Artan’s alleged ‘association with suspected members of terror organizations.’
