Advertisement

Scalpers targeted in two-day clampdown

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
0

Beijing police swooped on Paralympic ticket scalpers near the Olympic Green this week, detaining 134 people in two operations that surprised many who had found tickets readily available through legitimate outlets.

Police sources said 99 scalpers had been picked up and 969 tickets confiscated on Wednesday after a similar raid on Tuesday in which 35 scalpers were arrested and 654 tickets seized.

The number of scalpers netted was about the same as in a three-day crackdown during the peak days of the Olympic Games, but the number of tickets confiscated was substantially higher. Beijing police did not detail what caused the surge in ticket scalping but said efforts to stamp out the illegal deals would continue.

The scalping crackdown for the Paralympics came as a surprise to many, given that buying tickets at an on-site booth or through an online ticketing site has not been a problem.

Beijing bank employee Zhang Xiaolong bought two tickets for his parents to a session at the National Stadium, because they had talked about how much they wanted to see the 'Bird's Nest'.

'It couldn't be easier [to buy tickets]. You buy online and pick up your tickets at a bank counter,' he said. When he bought his tickets this month, there were seats available for all events except the opening ceremony.

Advertisement
Select Voice
Choose your listening speed
Get through articles 2-3x faster
1.1x
220 WPM
Slow
Normal
Fast
1.1x