Six arrested and HK$16,000 seized in Hong Kong police raid on illegal gambling den
Two arcade machines, used for betting games, also seized from Sham Shui Po flat
Police arrested six people, including two visitors from mainland China, seizing two arcade game machines and HK$16,000 (US$2,050) in a predawn raid on an illegal gambling den in Hong Kong on Thursday.
The betting establishment operated in a residential flat on Yu Chau Street, Sham Shui Po, officers said, adding that it appeared to have been running for about two months.
Officers from the Sham Shui Po police district’s special duty squad turned their attention to the venue recently after a tip-off.
Four men and two women aged between 28 and 52 were picked up when officers raided the flat at about 4am on Thursday. Two arcade machines running fishing games were seized, along with HK$16,000 in cash and game cards.
Hong Kong police arrest 14 people and seize more than HK$600,000 in raid on illegal gambling den
According to police, the machines were used for betting games. Gamblers were required to buy cards for recording their scores before playing, and points could be exchanged for cash.
One suspect, a 45-year-old Hong Kong man, was arrested on suspicion of operating the establishment, while the others, including two male visitors from the mainland, were arrested for gambling offences.
As of noon on Thursday, all six suspects were still being held at Sham Shui Po police station for questioning. None of them had been charged.
In Hong Kong, operating a gambling establishment carries a maximum penalty of seven years in jail and a HK$5 million (US$638,000) fine. Gambling in an illegal establishment carries a maximum penalty of nine months in jail and a HK$30,000 fine.
