353 arrested for online train ticket scalping

BEIJING - Police have arrested 353 suspected ticket scalpers during an ongoing crackdown on the illegal use of China's online train ticket booking system.

The suspects were found to have used unauthorized web browser plug-ins that allowed them to book excessive amounts of tickets and resell them for profit, according to a Friday statement from the railway police headquarters.

Police have cracked 1,155 related cases and confiscated over 80,000 tickets and ID cards so far, according to the statement.

Train tickets are very hard to get before and during China's Spring Festival holiday, which lasted from February 9 to 15 this year.

During the 40-day period from January 26 to March 6, Chinese are expected to make more than 220 million journeys by train, according to official forecasts.