Two individuals arrested are not Canadian citizens and are subject to deportation.
Sixteen people, including two non-Canadian citizens, were arrested after police searched and busted an alleged illegal gambling establishment at a home in Richmond.
According to a Richmond RCMP release, police searched a home on Skaha Crescent near Azure Road on December 1, 2022.
Police arrested 16 people, including a 45-year-old woman from Richmond and a 49-year-old man from Surrey, who were said to be the house guards, and a 34-year-old Richmond man and a 38-year-old woman from Vancouver, who were apparently professional card dealers .
Two people, including a caretaker and a card dealer, are not Canadian citizens and subject to deportation.
The majority of those arrested were “actively involved in gaming,” according to the media release.
Items recovered by police included more than $14,000 in Canadian currency, gambling books, an automated Mahjong table and a poker table, chips and cards.
The investigation was led by the Richmond RCMP Organized Crime Unit with assistance from the British Columbia Joint Force Illegal Gambling Investigation Team (CFSEU) and Uniformed Gang Enforcement Team. Canada Border Services Agency and the Lower Mainland Police Dog Unit were also involved in the operation.
Sergeant Patrick Damgajian, commander of the RCMP’s organized crime unit in Richmond, said it was a “very successful operation” and police were able to gather valuable intelligence in addition to safely dismantling the gambling hall.
Sergeant Brenda Winpenny, spokeswoman for CFSEU-BC, added that the agency often works closely with Richmond RCMP.
“Illegal gambling is often linked to other serious crimes and CFSEU-BC and our partners collectively look for every opportunity to work together and mitigate the negative impact of organized crime in our communities,” she said.
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