Police detain 6,000 train ticket scalpers ahead of festival

Chinese police have arrested more than 5,700 people for scalping train tickets ahead of the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, the Ministry of Public Security said Thursday.

Since January 21, when the crackdown was launched, police have confiscated more than 27,000 tickets, the ministry said.

Related readings:  Scalpers target CCTV festival gala rehearsals  356 ticket scalpers derailed at stations  Scalpers laugh off new train ticketing system  Money flying as desperate dash home begins

As of Thursday, the ministry has mobilized 450,000 police officers to participate in the crackdown. They have raided more than 850 dens scalping train tickets, according to the ministry.

In Guangdong province, the venue for the trial of the real-name train ticket selling system, police arrested 837 illegal ticket vendors and confiscated 3,889 scalped tickets.

The new system was designed to prevent ticket scalping, with passengers required to show ID when booking their tickets.

The Ministry of Railway estimates 210 million passengers will travel during the 40-day period beginning January 30, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier.

Spring Festival, which falls on February 14 this year, is the most important festive event for people of Chinese origin. It is an occasion for reunions of family members, relatives and friends.