Gambling Raid Nets No Initial Arrests, Plenty of Money For Police

There are said to be about 400 to 500 illegal gambling halls operating in the city of Houston, according to HPD Lt. Charlie Vazquez. If the results of a raid at one of the gambling halls on Thursday is any indication, the police would be dumb not to crack down on all the clubs.

A raid took place on Thursday at a facility that was allowing gambling on illegal video machines. The police seized $40,195 in cash, yet made no arrests.

The money that was seized will be divided up between the Harris County District Attorney's Office, and the HPD. The machines that were seized, 100 in all, will be destroyed.

The HPD will keep seventy percent of the money collected. It will go into a general fund. The raid was made to stop the crime that comes along with gambling in these establishments. If that was the goal, then why were none of the people involved arrested?

With 400 to 500 clubs operating in the city, it would seem logical that the police would keep raiding the clubs, especially when they keep what they confiscate.

Surely there are better things that could be done with the money than putting it in a general fund. Charities come to mind right off the bat.

Or maybe the police department could give some of the money back to the taxpayers that helped fund the raid in the first place. Whatever the case, a raid without an arrest looks like a quick ploy to generate funds for the police department.

Charges may still be filed in the raid, but as of Thursday evening, none were yet filed.

March 14, 2008
Posted By Larry Rutherford
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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