MELAKA: Melaka police raided a total of 862 premises for illegal gambling last year, including for selling 'top-ups', online gambling, call centres, unlicensed public lottery, indoor gaming, open gambling and illegal bookies (football bookies).
Melaka police chief Deputy Comm Datuk Abdul Majid Mohd Ali said 260 of the raids involved unlicensed public lottery activities, online gambling (565 raids), call centres (five raids), bookies (11 raids), indoor gambling (18 raids) and open gambling (three raids).
"A total of 96 premises carrying out unlicensed gambling activities had their electricity supplies cut last year," he said in a statement Thursday (Feb 3).
He added that a total of 1,047 arrests were made and 607 gambling equipment including computers, mobile phones and cash amounting to RM159,269 seized.
He said a total of 862 investigation papers were opened last year, involving 565 online gambling cases, with 308 cases having been charged in court and the rest still on-going.
Meanwhile, DCP Abdul Majid said for January this year, 61 raids were carried out involving online gambling (37 raids), unlicensed public lottery (23 raids) and open gambling (one raid).
He said police also detained 70 individuals and confiscated 40 mobile phones as well as RM9,005 in cash, while 61 investigation papers had been opened.
"The number of raids, arrests and seizures carried out throughout 2021 have, to some extent, had a huge impact on individuals and gambling syndicates active in Melaka.
"Melaka police are serious about wiping out illegal gambling and are always committed to taking periodic action to eliminate the menace in Melaka," he said.- Bernama
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