A bomb threat forced a major security operation at the Casino Central Mar del Plata after an unidentified caller contacted emergency services warning that an explosive device would go off in the afternoon during a chess tournament being held inside the venue.
Law enforcement, the specialized explosives division and firefighters converged on the property and conducted a thorough search of the building. No device was found, and the situation was brought under control, though the incident led to a complete evacuation of the building, causing significant disruption to operations and the tournament.
According to local reports, investigators identified a chess player who had been refused entry to the championship as the suspect behind the call. The individual had reportedly been barred from participating in the tournament and is believed to have placed the call to the 911 system in retaliation.
In parallel, Alejandro Pellegrinelli, prosecutor, and police personnel traced the calls to a specific phone number and confirmed the caller's address. Before a search warrant could be ordered, however, the situation resolved itself: the suspect, a 61-year-old man, walked into the Casino Central and demanded to be allowed to compete in the tournament.
The suspect was detained on the spot and transferred to the courthouse by order of the prosecutor, where he was formally notified of criminal charges for public intimidation before being released.
The case was turned over to judicial authorities for further investigation.
The Casino Central is one of the largest casinos in Argentina and operates under the Buenos Aires Province gaming authority, the Instituto Provincial de Lotería y Casinos
