Munich police detained two security staff at Oktoberfest on Saturday evening after they were caught allowing visitors into a closed beer tent in exchange for cash.
Around 8 p.m., plainclothes officers observed the two men at Theresienwiese charging money for unauthorized entry. The men, both aged 31, were stopped and taken to the Wiesn police station.
A search revealed a significant amount of cash. Both are now under investigation for violating Oktoberfest regulations, as well as suspected money laundering and corruption.
The money was seized pending confiscation. The Munich criminal police have taken over further inquiries.
Pickpockets also caught
The same evening, police officers specializing in pickpocketing made another arrest inside a festival tent.
They spotted a 27-year-old man lifting a mobile phone from a woman’s handbag and handing it to his 26-year-old accomplice.
Both suspects were detained, and a search uncovered eight more stolen phones, believed to have been taken from different tents.
The pair were transferred to the Munich police headquarters detention center and will be presented to a magistrate today to determine whether they remain in custody.
Police presence at Oktoberfest
The incidents highlight the dual challenges police face at Oktoberfest: enforcing festival regulations and combating opportunistic crime such as pickpocketing.
With millions of visitors attending the world’s largest beer festival, security remains a top priority.
