Olympics - Beijing to "re-educate" Games ticket scalpers

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BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing has launched a crackdown on ticket scalping ahead of the Olympics in August, threatening to detain serious offenders for up to four years' "re-education through labour", local media reported on Monday.

Most Chinese entertainment events attract a throng of touts, known locally as "yellow bulls", hoping to resell tickets, and rampant scalping of train seats ahead of major festivals has become a regular complaint among homeward-bound travellers.

Police in the Chinese capital had started a "coordinated action" to patrol venues during major events, and the stepped-up efforts would last until after the Paralympic Games in September, the Beijing News said, citing a spokesman with the city's public security bureau.

"(Offenders involved in) the counterfeit, alteration, and illegal selling of tickets for major events can be detained according to (relevant) laws," the paper quoted the unnamed spokesman as saying.

"Those deemed to have seriously disturbed public order can be detained for re-education through labour," the spokesman said.

China's system of "re-education through labour" empowers police to sentence petty criminals for up to three years' jail without going through the courts.

Sentences can be extended to four years in special cases, but most detainees are released after one or two years.

The system has been criticised by rights groups who say it undermines the rule of law and has spawned many illegal detentions, including political prisoners.

Beijing Games organisers have banned the reselling of Olympic tickets and demanded those who secured tickets for the opening and closing ceremony submit photographs and other personal data to combat scalping.

But opening ceremony tickets have appeared for sale on the Internet for up to $150,000 yuan ($21,300) each.

Seven million tickets for the Aug. 8-24 Games will be made available to the general public, with nearly three-quarters reserved for mainland China residents.

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