Four Californians were arrested during the raid of an illegal casino in Oakland. All of the arrestees were armed with illegal weapons, with one of them likely serving as a lookout. As a result of their possession of illegal firearms, the culprits now face gun-related charges.
The raid was carried out on July 5 after the police suspected an illegal gambling operation in a residence in the city. One of the men, was reportedly loitering in front of the property, likely serving as a lookout for the illegal operation.
During the raid, the police arrested four people, all of them aged 19 to 23. In addition to the arrests, the police seized gambling equipment, slot machines, ledgers and an undisclosed sum in cash. More concerningly, the police seized a number of firearms including three guns – two pistols and one assault rifle – and a bunch of magazines.
Despite discovering only three weapons on site, the police observed all of the arrestees prior to the raid and saw all of them carrying a gun at one moment or another. The police also linked one of the men to the possession of a gun through a DNA test.
All of the weapons were illegally owned and, as a result, the culprits now face charges of illegal gun possession and illegal firearm activity.
Once an Illegal Operation Is Stopped, Another Appears
In an earlier interview with KTVU, Noel Gallo, a member of Oakland’s City Council, said that the July raid was the third time the police has raided the same location within a year. He explained that sometimes gangs would set up operations at properties that have been previously raided, hoping that they will avoid a second raid.
Gallo highlighted the dangers and proliferation of illegal gambling operations. He explained venues would often create a lot of noise in addition to attracting criminal gangs and other illicit activities.
However, according to Gallo, people in the community are oftentimes reluctant to report illegal activities and say who’s behind them.
The councilman said that, frustratingly, once an illegal operation is extinguished, another pops up in its place. Sometimes there would be multiple illegal casinos within a mile of each other.
The fight against unlicensed gambling will continue. Last month, the police warned that landlords can be fined if their properties are found to house illicit activities.