Taiwan: 23 arrested in illegal gambling den raid
Police raided an illegal casino disguised as a convenience store, nabbing 23 people playing Texas Hold’em and baccarat and seizing NT$300,000.
Taiwan.- Taichung police unveiled an illegal gambling operation, arresting 23 people and seizing NT$300,000 in a targeted raid conducted last December.
The covert casino, concealed beneath the veneer of a ground-floor convenience store on Wenxin Road in Taichung’s North District, featured Texas Hold’em poker and baccarat card games.
The police intervention, part of the “Clean Source Project 3.0,” focused on scrutinizing high-rise structures within the Second Precinct’s jurisdiction for potential illicit activities, including fraud rings, online gambling dens, and casinos.
According to The Taiwan News, following suspicions of a concealed Texas Hold’em Poker Casino within a building on Wenxin Road, officers secured a search warrant from the Taichung District Court and executed the raid at the end of December 2023.
Upon arrival, law enforcement arrested 10 people associated with the gambling den, including the 45-year-old manager surnamed Kuo, a lookout staff, a counter accountant, three on-site employees, and four female dealers.
Additionally, 13 gamblers present at the scene were also detained. During the raid, police seized poker cards, chips, dice, and NT$300,000 in gambling funds.
Post-interrogation, the 10 staff members were forwarded to the Taichung District Prosecutor’s Office for investigation on charges of gambling, while the 13 gamblers faced fines under the Social Order Maintenance Act.
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