Web "by invitation" gambling den busted

03/17/2009

Police in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia acted on a tip-off and raided an apartment block in the city on Saturday afternoon, arresting 25 persons allegedly either organising or taking part in an illegal poker tournament.

Those arrested included the tournament organiser and several college students, reports the New Straits Times.

Police spokesman Asst Comm Wan Abdul Bari Wan Abdul Khalid said the tournament, which was being held for the first time, was organised through a website that detailed the time and venue.

“The participants registered online and banked in a fee to enter the tournament,” he said, adding that although the tournament was organised by a local syndicate, police believed there were connections to foreign gambling syndicates.

The police raiding squad seized cash, laptops, poker tables, briefcases filled with casino chips and decks of playing cards.

ACP Wan Abdul Bari said those arrested were aged 18 to 30 and two were foreigners, including an Indonesian student and a 57-year-old Italian national who was a permanent resident in the city.

“The men have been remanded for a week to assist in investigations,” he told a press conference at police headquarters Monday.