SCALPING ISN’T ILLEGAL, BUT THE CRACKDOWN IS ON

Ticket scalpers, who have been operating here with little restraint since before the Games began, apparently have gone too far.

Police have begun taking some of them into temporary custody after some fans complained that they were unable to get into events with the tickets they had bought on the open market, press tickets and others meant for complimentary use. Those tickets can only be used with an official pass or Games credential.

Ko Yamaguchi, media head for the Nagano Organizing Committee, said police had been asked to take action against scalpers selling such tickets. Otherwise, scalping here is not illegal and scalpers have been doing a lively business at event sites, Nagano station and the Metropolitan Hotel near Nagano station.

Scalpers are not being arrested but are being detained for questioning, sometimes for as long as five hours.

Then police ask them to sign an affidavit saying they won’t scalp again.

“This is not something we want at these Olympics,” Yamaguchi said. “This is not good for the Olympics. There are rules on the tickets.”