Beijing Haidian Police Crack Down on Hospital Ticket Scalpers
BEIJING,Sept. 20 (Xinhua) — In a move to purify the medical orderand safeguard the rights of patients, the Haidian District Public Security Bureau in Beijing has launched a crackdown on illegal activities by ticket scalpers operating around hospitals. According to a statement released on the bureau’s official WeChat account, the police have arrested 33 individuals and seized over 400 pieces of equipmentused in the operation, including mobile phones and computers.
The crackdown, carried out under the small team, small area, small special project cluster strike model, was initiated following a city-wide directive. The Haidian police discovered thatseveral hospitals in the district were experiencing a persistent shortage of appointments for renowned doctors, with tickets being sold at inflated prices through online chat groups.
Investigations revealed that these ticket scalpers were using software programs to bypass the online booking system andsecure appointments before they were available to the public. They then sold these appointments for exorbitant prices, ranging from hundreds to thousands of yuan.
The police conducted a series of raids on September 12, arresting suspects in Beijing and other provinces. During the raids, officers seized a large number of mobile phones and tablets equipped withsoftware used to manipulate the booking system. The software allowed the scalpers to refresh the hospital’s online appointment page hundreds of times per second, significantly increasing their chances of securing appointments compared to regular patients.
The Haidian police have formally detained 33 individuals involved in the illegal activities and have reported the discovered vulnerabilitiesin the hospital’s appointment system to relevant authorities. This move aims to facilitate improvements in the system and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
The crackdown on ticket scalpers reflects the Chinese government’s commitment to ensuring fair and equitable access to healthcare for all citizens. The illegal activities of these individualsnot only exploit vulnerable patients but also disrupt the orderly functioning of the healthcare system.
The police operation serves as a strong deterrent against such illegal activities and highlights the importance of strengthening regulatory measures to prevent the exploitation of healthcare resources.
The Haidian police have pledged to continue their efforts to combat illegal activities within themedical system, ensuring that patients have access to quality healthcare without facing undue financial burdens or bureaucratic obstacles.
Views: 0