Briton, 2 French arrested for ticket fraud

ATHENS, May 23 (Reuters) Greek police said today they had arrested a 28-year-old Briton for selling 50 forged Champions League final tickets to an Italian travel agent for 58,000 euros.

Two French men were also arrested as they tried to sell two tickets to a group of British fans on a central Athens street.

Police said they were charging 600 euros for each 140-euro ticket.

''The British man was arrested yesterday in Athens,'' police spokesman Panagiotis Stathis said.

The man had sold 50 forged tickets over two days on Monday and Tuesday before being arrested in central Syntagma Square and was now facing charges of forgery and fraud, police said in a statement.

Greek Football Federation officials were called in to examine the tickets and ruled that they were fakes.

''He will be taken to an Athens prosecutor today,'' the statement said.

Liverpool play AC Milan later today in the final of European soccer's biggest club competition.

More than 50,000 Italian and English fans have arrived in Athens for the final, many of them without tickets.

Black-market prices for match tickets have soared to more than 5,000 euros for a single ticket.

REUTERS TB RK1731