28 February 2013| last updated at 12:01AM
Cops turn the tables on 1,000 gamblers
By LEE SHI-IAN | [email protected]
RICH PICKINGS: Nationwide raids lead to RM507,000 haul
Selangor CID chief Senior Assistant Commissioner Mohd Adnan Abdullah (second from left) showing various seized gambling paraphernalia during a press conference yesterday.
KUALA LUMPUR: From cock-fighting to double-hand poker (pai gow), various forms of gaming were available for gamblers feeling lucky as thousands ushered in the Year of the Snake recently.
But police were also feeling lucky as they conducted nationwide raids on various gaming activities, seizing about RM507,000 and arrested more than 1,000 gamblers.
Federal anti-vice, gaming and secret societies (D7) principal assistant director Datuk Abdul Jalil Hassan said the operation, codenamed "Ops Limau", was carried out between Jan 21 and Feb 24.
"Every year, we will find a mini casino, especially in construction sites where foreign workers who are idle due to the festive season will be attracted to gamble," he told the New Straits Times.
"It was the same story this month when police raided a construction site in Taman Damai Utama, Serdang, where Indonesian workers were placing bets on cock-fighting."
In the raid on Feb 8, police arrested 10 local men and 26 Indonesians. They also confiscated five roosters, various gambling paraphernalia and RM36,805 during the operation.
Jalil said hawkers had even set up stalls at the construction site, serving light fare and drinks to the punters. It is understood that the bill was paid by those running the cock-fighting event.
"Police also raided several illegal mini casinos in Port Dickson, Sungai Siput and Malacca during the festive period.
"The gamblers were found to be betting on various carnival games, including pai gow."
He revealed that last year, police seized a total of RM179,000 from 210 raids and arrested 580 punters and bookies.
But the haul from 358 raids this year was more lucrative, with RM507,000 seized and 1,011 punters and bookies nabbed.
