GARDAÍ HAVE ARRESTED four people as part of an investigation into the unauthorised sale of prepaid tickets for Dublin Bus.

The four people were arrested earlier this week after Dublin Bus became aware of parties selling the tickets without the full authorisation of the transport provider.

The scheme was reported in today’s tabloid press, with the Irish Sun reporting that the tickets were taken from a shredding company, which had been given the tickets in order to dispose of them.

The tickets were to be destroyed because their face value – €96 for the monthly tickets – was lower than the €105 that Dublin Bus now charges for the same ticket.

Dublin Bus raises its prepaid ticket prices almost every year, but existing tickets remain valid regardless of when they are sold – or for what price.

The Irish Daily Mirror said tickets worth hundreds of thousands of euro were sold as part of the illicit scheme.

In a statement Dublin Bus said it had learned of the unauthorised sales last Friday and was grateful to an Garda Síochána for its “swift and comprehensive” response.

It advised travellers to buy prepaid tickets only from authorised agents.