Washington, January 13 : Knowing martial arts may be the best way to prevent thugs from laying their hands on US President-elect Barack Obama's Inauguration tickets.

Capitol Hill, a metonym for the United States Congress, was said to have been flooded with calls for the tickets almost as soon Obama won the election in November.

And now, with the 10 official inauguration balls beginning on January 18, the tickets were selling "like crack cocaine", potentially bearing a similar street value, according to a Congressional aide.

While one staffer claimed that she needed "Secret Service protection" to deliver the tickets, another aide alleged "knowing martial arts" would help her scare away thugs.

"They trust me to be my own body guard, I guess," Fox News quoted the aide as saying.

Another Capitol worker added: "These are the most desired things in Washington." (ANI)