Irish man arrested in Rio for ticket touting at Olympics

An Irishman has been arrested for ticket touting at the Olympic Games and is being held in prison by order of a Brazilian judge in Rio de Janeiro.

The man, named by authorities as Kevin James Marlen, was arrested on Friday for the "irregular sale" of tickets for Friday's opening ceremony in the Maracana stadium. He was detained while in the possession of several tickets at the hotel Next Flat in the western region of the city where the Olympic village and main venue are located.

Police who made the arrest said they also took depositions from a number of people in the hotel who claimed they were going to buy tickets from the Irishman at above face value.

Mr Marlen’s temporary detention was authorised at a special court for supporters and large events. The judge also ordered a search of the detained man’s possessions, including any laptops, pen drives and cell phones as well as the confiscation of his passport.

An Irish diplomat in Rio for the Games said diplomats were aware of the arrest of an Irish citizen and were providing consular assistance.

A spokesperson for the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) said it had no knowledge of the matter and was not connected to it in any way.