School dropouts among 59 held for illegal gambling

KUCHING: Three underage school dropouts were among 59 individuals arrested during last week’s police crackdown against illegal gambling activities.

State CID Datuk Dev Kumar said a 15-year-old boy was arrested in Bintulu while two 16-year-old girls were arrested in Bau and Kota Samarahan, for providing online gambling reload services.

He said a total of 41 raids were carried out from Jan 8 to 14, resulting in the arrest of 59 individuals, including 32 women.

“Efforts to eradicate online gambling continued with 16 raids conducted at 24-hour convenience stores and coffee shops offering reload services to online gamblers,” he said in a statement issued yesterday.

The raids, he added, were carried out in Sibu, Miri, Bintulu, Kota Samarahan, Sri Aman, Sarikei, and Lubok Antu, during which 21 tablets and mobile phones, as well as RM13,988 in cash, were seized.

Meanwhile, 25 raids were conducted at counters selling illegal lottery in nine districts. The raids resulted in the arrest of 33 individuals and seizure of cash amounting RM6,705.

“Mobile phones, portable printers, calculators, betting slips and stationeries were also seized,” said Dev Kumar, adding police have begun recommending to the respective district offices to review the business licenses of premises raided for engaging in illegal activities.

All those arrested are being investigated under the Common Gaming House Act 1953.