Illegal Gambling Ring Raided In Santa Ana Strip Mall
SANTA ANA (CBSLA) – An illegal gambling ring operating out of a cyber café was raided early Tuesday morning in a Santa Ana strip mall.
Santa Ana police conducted the raid at around 5 a.m. in the 2000 block of East 1st Street.
Officers found several illegal gaming machines. It's unclear how many people were arrested, although footage from the scene showed at least a dozen people detained outside. More than $30,000 in cash was seized from the cyber cafe hidden behind a smoke shop on First Street.
Police say this smoke shop has no license to operate. Nearby businesses moved out because of the criminal activity in the strip center.
Officers had previously responded to several incidents involving firearms and wanted suspects at that same location, police disclosed.
"For us it's a quality of life issue," said Santa Ana Police Cpl. Anthony Bertagna. "These people operate these businesses around the clock and the clientele that they bring are often involved in narcotics activities, prostitution, gang activity."