Police Bust Illegal Restaurant Gambling Operation
STERLING HEIGHTS (WWJ) - They rolled the dice and lost.
Three men are facing charges for allegedly conducting an illegal gambling operation out of a Sterling Heights restaurant.
Sterling Heights Police Lt. Luke Riley said a special response team raided Candles Restaurant on 15 Mile Road late Thursday night.
"There was approximately 70 patrons in the restaurant," Riley told WWJ Newsradio 950. "We found gambling, card games, slot machines ... alcohol being served, consumed there," Riley said.
Officers seized $35,000 in cash and 10 slot machines.
"When we say slot machines, they were like an electronic slot machine," Riley said. "It's not the slot machines you might see at the casino. You know, you buy credit or whatever, and you push a button ... It's set up to operate like a slot machine."
Riley said the raid came after police received several complaints.
Two of the suspects is from Sterling Heights. The third man is from Warren. One of them is facing marijuana charges and police said additional charges are possible.
Dozens of patrons were ticketed for gambling.
The suspects' names were not immediately released as an investigations continues.
