Week-old makeshift casino in oil palm estate raided, eight detained

MELAKA: A makeshift casino deep inside an oil palm estate in Kuala Sungai Baru offering some RM 104,000 in prizes was raided on Sunday (Feb 6).

Melaka CID chief Asst Comm Lim Meng Seah said eight people were arrested in the 9.30pm raid including a 41-year-old estate manager and a woman.

“The individuals, aged between 29 and 66, were playing ‘pai kow’. Some of them had travelled from the city,” he said on Tuesday (Feb 8).

The oil palm estate is located in Kg Man Lok, and police believe the casino was opened only last week.

ACP Lim said several police confiscated RM104,578 in cash during the raid.

Separately, he said 17 individuals aged between 25 to 67 had been arrested during the Chinese New Year celebration from Jan 25 to Tuesday for gambling.

“A total of RM108, 610 and various items used for gambling were seized from them. They are being investigated under Section 7(2) of the Open House Gambling Act 1953,” he said.

ACP Lim also said 78 raids were carried out since the beginning of the year which resulted in the arrest of 19 individuals, all relating to online gambling, illegal lottery sales and open house gambling offences.

He said police also confiscated cash amounting to RM114,689 in raids.