KOTA KINABALU: Nineteen people, including six women, were detained by the police for involvement in Euro 2016 competition betting, illegal lottery operation and ‘Wah Hui’ gambling.
City police chief ACP M. Chandra said four people, aged 20 and 39, were arrested at four premises in Salut Commercial Centre in Manggatal, Lintas Plaza, Kampung Air and Damai in Luyang for betting in the soccer competition and seized around RM1,000 cash.
“Police have received information of illegal gambling during the ongoing Euro 2016 competition.
“Following the report, police have set up a team under Ops Soga, and managed to apprehend four suspects at four premises between June 13 and June 22,” he said at a press conference here yesterday.
Chandra said during the raids, police confiscated gambling papers for the Euro 2016 competition, RM829 and other items used for the gambling activity.
He added that bookies had taken advantage of the one-month competition from June 10 to July 10.
Chandra also said 15 people were nabbed by the police for being involved in illegal lottery and ‘Wah Hui’ gamblingduring an operation, code-named Ops Dadu, that was carried out between June 15 and June 19 at six premises in the state capital, namely Segama, Jalan Pantai, Sulaman Sentral, Kampung Air, Bandaran Berjaya and Damai in Luyang.
“Thirteen of those detained were directly involved in the illegal gambling activity by selling to customers, while two of those held were buyers or players.
“Of those detained, 14 are locals while one is an Indonesian and all aged 20 to 58,” he said.
Numerous items have been seized by the police during the five-day operation, which included advertisement papers of the illegal gambling activity to attract customers, 35 pieces of paper used for gambling, 11 mobile phones, 11 portable mobile printers, four calculators, 78 ‘Wah Hui’ gambling papers, RM1,861 and other items used in the illegal gambling activities.
Police would be investigating the cases under Section 4A(a) and Section 9(1) of the Common Gambling House 1953, said Chandra.
Meanwhile, Chandra said police had carried out 29 raids around the state between January and June this year.
Forty-six people, comprising of 25 men and 21 women, had been detained and charged in court for involvement in illegal gambling activities, he said.
About RM10,843 was seized throughout the six-month period, he added.
Chandra reminded the public not to get involved in illegal gambling as police would not hesitate to take stern action.