Oakland Illegal Casino Raid Results in Three Arrests, Police Continue Crackdown

Article ByDavid Weir

September 29, 2023

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Posted in: US Gambling Crime News, California Gambling News, US Gambling News

Earlier this week, the Oakland Police Department (OPD) successfully executed a crackdown on an illegal casino operation in the city of Oakland, California.

The illicit California casino venue, situated in the 900 block of 77th Avenue, was the target of an arrest and search warrant. Three people were arrested and booked on various existing charges, while authorities investigated the gambling operation, according to a statement posted by the Police Department on Facebook.

The raid was carried out in collaboration with the U.S. Marshals Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the San Ramon Police Department.

As well as illegal gambling machines, investigators also uncovered several unlicensed firearms and some interesting evidence relating to a recent murder case.

“During the investigation, officers recovered a rifle, shotgun, handgun, and illegal gambling machines. Additionally, officers located a significant amount of evidence connected to a recent homicide in Oakland,” the report said.

Illegal Gambling Crackdown

The California Bay Area city has seen a crackdown on illegal gambling operations by police in recent months.

Three people were charged last month after being arrested in July following the raid of an illegal gambling premises in East Oakland.

At that time, officers discovered a loaded assault rifle, various illegal gambling machines, and a significant amount of cash.

“Having an illegal casino brings a lot of bad energy. We’re trying to build an environment, a community,” said one community pastor, speaking to local media at the time.

In late 2022, three people were given serious assault charges after one man was tortured and beaten after protesting gambling losses at an illegal gambling den on 17^th Avenue.

The accused, Wai Hoang, 31, had been arrested several times previously in raids of gambling venues, but had never been successfully prosecuted.

During the final raid that led to his arrest, police also found $3,000 in cash and 15 pounds of marijuana.

The nature of that incident highlights the difficulty with completely shutting down the highly profitable illegal gambling operations.

One city official claimed that as soon as one is closed down, another one opens somewhere nearby. They also said that local people often feel reticent to speak to police regarding the matter.

Related: Our guide to the far safer option of California online gambling

900 Illegal Firearms Seized This Year

OPD has recovered more than 900 firearms this year alone, and many of those have been connected to criminals running illegal gambling operations.

More than a dozen such venues have been officially identified by city police since 2020.

The most recent investigation is ongoing, with authorities actively working to gather more evidence and potentially uncover other related criminal activities. The public has been encouraged to come forward with any pertinent information and contact the Oakland Police Department’s Criminal Investigation Division.