Snap, serve, seize to stop illegal traders during the Rugby World Cup

All Blacks fans. Photo / Supplied

Illegal street trading of rain gear and festive paraphernalia has struck the Rugby World Cup, leading to the photographs of known repeat offenders being circulated among authorities.

The Auckland Council has issued 37 notices and conducted four seizures to crack down on unlicensed traders during the city's 11 World Cup matches, operations which have netted a range of ponchos, scarves and flags.

Buskers have also come under the scrutiny of the licensing and compliance department.

Street trading bylaws applied to anything being sold on the street, department manager Carole Todd said.

"It's specifically for trading by people who aren't allowed to on the street - anybody selling anything without a permit, regardless of what it is," she said.

"We've also dealt with busking. Many people turn up and want to do impromptu busking, and we've told them they can't do that without a permit.

"In a lot of cases it's only a matter of applying for it, just so we can make sure it's licensed," Ms Todd said.

The council officers had targeted fan zones, stadiums and other areas where crowds were likely to gather on match days.

Traders and buskers tended to follow the crowds, she said.

In four cases, the council had taken further measures, she said.

"We have actually undertaken four seizures to do with scarves, flags and rain ponchos, where we initially identified who the people were and warned them.

"To make sure we're consistent and actually dealing with the same people ... we circulate photographs of the people involved.

"Let's say we've got some illegal street trading at North Harbour Stadium, if they turn up at Eden Park or the fan zones anywhere, we know they're the same people - even if they say, 'It wasn't me, It was someone else'."

Advertising in tournament "clean zones" around World Cup venues is dealt with by the Ministry of Economic Development, which said no incidents had been serious enough for it to become involved.