Chinese police detain 1,067 train ticket scalpers

BEIJING -- Chinese railway police have arrested 1,067 people for scalping train tickets in a crackdown some three weeks before the Spring Festival, or the Chinese New Year, the public security bureau of the Ministry of Railways said Thursday.

The railway public security bureau launched the crackdown on December 25, nearly one month ahead of the 40-day rush period - running from January 19 to February 27 - when hundreds of millions of Chinese hit the road for family reunions throughout the festive season.

Related readings:  Extra ticket counters for holiday rush  High-speed trains reshape nation's transport landscape  Fake student ID boom for holidays  Train tickets go on sale for holidays

As of January 10, police have raided two locations producing false train tickets and 385 sites where tickets were scalped, the bureau said in a statement.

The Spring Festival, which falls on February 4 this year, is the most important traditional Chinese festival for family reunions.

The Ministry of Railways estimated 230 million trips by train would be made in its nationwide network during the 40-day rush period this year, up 12.5 percent from one year earlier.

Drawing on experiences from previous years, railway police will focus on arresting scalpers in Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai and Zhejiang before the Lunar New Year, then shift their focus to Sichuan, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei and Jiangxi after the Spring Festival, the bureau said.

The police would also sign agreements with each train ticket office to "curb ticket scalping from the sources," it said.

In addition, the bureau would mobilize more police officers to patrol in large railway stations and strive to arrest those involved in larger scalping offenses.