Police Raid Illegal Gambling Den in Wales

Officers from Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), working in partnership with the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff City Council Licensing, hit the jackpot recently when uncovering an illegal gambling den in an industrial unit Splott.

Six warrants were executed and as a result of those, two men were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and gambling act offenses. The police results in 6 poker tales, a spinning prize wheel, poker coins and chips as well as multiple flatscreen televisions being seized.

Knock, Knock – The Law Are Coming In!

The raid was organised as part of Operation Henhouse, funded by the National Economic Crime Centre (NECC), after four weeks of investigating fraud within the Cardiff and it was thanks to the collaborations with multiple police forces, partner agencies across the United Kingdom and the organised crime unit that they managed to secure the arrests.

Kay Roberts, Gambling Commission Executive Director of Operations, said: “We are committed to tackling illegal gambling activity across the UK and will continue working closely with law enforcement and partner agencies to achieve this.”

Who are the Gambling Commission?

The Gambling Commission was set up under the Gambling Act 2005 and it is their responsibility to regulate individuals and businesses who provide gambling serviced to Great Britain. To ensure gambling is safe and fairer for all, the Gambling Commission work in partnership with censing authorities to ensure gambling businesses are sticking to the rules.

What Do They Do?

The Gambling Commission regulate most types of gambling in the UK, including The National Lottery, and they make gambling safer. They’re tough on compliance and handing out fines for those who break the rules and regulations, example, mFortune owner – InTouch Games was penalised to the tune of £6.1m, Daub were slapped with a £5.8m fine and a mega £17million in penalties was handed to the owner of Coral in 2022 after a damning UK Gambling Commission ruling!

The Police Are Always Monitoring For Illegal Gambling Activities…

Tarian ROCU organise the activity for southern Wales and in total there were 6 arrests, 7 warrants executed and more than ten Cease and Desist notices were issued to individuals committing fraud and money laundering offences in that region alone.

Detective Sergeant Emma Brown, of Tarian’s Proactive Economic Crime Team (PECT), said: “Fraud has become the most commonly recorded crime in England and Wales and is often committed in conjunction with other serious offences, such as money laundering.

Over the course of the Henhouse intensification period, we have arrested individuals under suspicion of Fraud by False Representation and money laundering, together with executing warrants in respect of the distribution of illegal TV Firesticks. Our engagement teams have also delivered cybercrime and fraud awareness inputs to community groups, colleges and universities, and businesses, to help prevent people from becoming victims of fraud.”

Source:

“Illegal Gambling Den Raided As Part of National Police Intensification Against Fraud”, South Wales Police. March 15, 2024.