A MAN from Edgware is among five people arrested by police yesterday morning in a series of raids to disrupt illegal ticket sales.

The 57-year-old was arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and fraud by members of Operation Podium, set up to clamp down on ticket fraud ahead of the opening of the ticket ballot for the London Olympics on March 15.

It is alleged by officers he has been involved in selling stolen tickets to rugby matches online, and a business in Edgware was also raided.

Detective Chief Inspector Nick Downing, in charge of the operation, said: "Today's operation is about disrupting those organised criminal networks involved in illegally selling tickets.

“By taking action now we are aiming to make this a hostile environment for them to operate.

"The victims are those people who get scammed, have their personal and credit card details stolen and who ultimately don't get to the event they want to see."