Gamblers aged between 55 and 90 among 46 held in raid

CHERAS: A total of 29 gamblers aged between 55 and 90 were among 46 people detained by police here for involvement in illegal gambling on Sunday.

Cheras district police chief ACP Abdul Ghani Mohamad Ji said a shophouse in Taman Pertama Cheras was raided at 4.30pm after a tip-off.

"Police found nine tables of gamblers playing on the premises. A total of five organisers, 29 players and 12 spectators were detained after they were found to have been playing mahjong at the shoplot that was turned into a gambling house," he said after attending Cheras district police monthly assembly here today.

He said the first floor of the shophouse had been rented by a 54-year-old for the illegal activity.

Several mahjong tables and mahjong tiles, along with RM25,741 in cash were confiscated in the raid.

The case is being investigated under Section 4(1)(a), Section 6(1) and Section 7(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.

Meanwhile, Abdul Ghani said his focus for the first quarter of this year will be to eliminate online gambling and drug abuse at entertainment outlets.

He said since November, Cheras' Narcotics Criminal Investigation Department has raided five entertainment outlets actively selling drugs.

"In the raids, 55 people tested positive for various drugs. Some teenagers caught in entertainment outlet are still not aware that their drinks had been mixed with drugs," he added.