By NIKOLE JAVIER
Suspected scalpers selling overpriced tickets for Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals series were apprehended by authorities on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
Three alleged suspects were arrested by Quezon City Police District (QCPD) officers a day before the big game at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With Ginebra on the cusp of winning its 15th title in the league at the expense of the visiting Bay Area side, a huge crowd is expected to fill the arena to its full capacity once again.
As early as Monday, though, a lot of fans complained that tickets sold out quickly before they could get their hands on them.
As a direct result, the PBA has forwarded its concerns to the QCPD about the hoarded number of tickets being sold five to ten times their original price.
A day before the game, the QCPD launched an entrapment operation, with one of the operatives posing as a buyer.
It was found that upper box seats costing P230 were being sold for P500 up to P1,000 while the P650 Patron C seat ticket amounted to P2,800.
Once the entrapment was in motion, two of the three ticket sellers managed to get away according to the operatives, leaving one behind in their hands.
However, at around 4 p.m. the same day, 50 tickets were retrieved as three of the scalpers were brought to the station and eventually fined P5,000 for violating City Ordinance SP-2744 or Anti-Scalping.