Hong Kong: 65 arrested in raid on illegal gambling den

Police have busted a gambling den and found a police officer was linked to the illegal operation.

Hong Kong.- Police have arrested 65 people aged between 18 and 54 in a raid on an illegal gambling den.

Among the people arrested were three people suspected of running the underground poker room. One of them is a police officer.

The officer has been suspended from duty and could face a maximum penalty of seven years in jail and a HK$5m fine.

Authorities said the rest of those arrested included suspected gamblers and five dealers. They said they found four poker tables inside the illegal gambling den.

Those arrested could also be fined for breaking social-distancing rules related to the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to local media, police seized HK$600,000 (US$77,131) in cash and gambling chips along with 20 decks of cards and gambling paraphernalia.

Over the weekend, police also arrested 29 people in another illegal gambling raid at a flat in Yuen Long On Ning Road.

In February, police closed down 14 triad-linked gambling dens in Wan Chai and the Eastern District.