JOHOR BAHRU – Police detained 57 individuals, including eight foreigners, during raids carried out on two premises converted into mini casinos in Taman Sentosa here, yesterday.
Johor police chief Datuk Ayob Khan Mydin Pitchay said during the raids, which started at 12 noon, police detained a total of 40 men and 17 women, aged between 13 and 70.
“Both raids were carried out as a result of intelligence and investigation conducted since last week following a public tip-off,” he said when met by reporters during the operations, last night.
He said the first raid at a premises at Jalan Sentosa 2, found a ‘mini casino’ hidden inside a snooker centre and was believed to have only started operating two days ago.
Police detained 19 men and five women including a Singaporean woman during the raid.
He said, in the second raid at a motel in Jalan Rusa, police found that the premises was converted into a mini casino with a total of 21 men and 12 women including six Chinese women and an Indonesian woman, arrested.
He added that further inspection of the two premises found both were equipped with closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
“Police believe the gambling syndicates previously operated elsewhere as they often change locations to avoid being detected by the authorities.
He said that all detained will be investigated under Section 6 (1) of the Open Gambling House Act 1953, Section 25 (1) (n) of the National Registration Regulations 1990 and Section 6 (1) (C) of the Immigration Act 1959/63.
— BERNAMA
