MCO 2.0: Seven senior citizens among 18 nabbed for gambling in Bukit Mertajam

BUKIT MERTAJAM: Police detained 18 individuals, including seven senior citizens, for gambling during a raid on a house in Sama Gagah and seized RM16,000 cash yesterday.

The Anti-Vice, Gambling and Secret Societies Division (D7) of the Penang Contingent Police Headquarters, acting on information and surveillance, conducted the raid at 4 pm and arrested the suspects, aged between 30 and 80.

According to sources, police confiscated gambling equipment such as chips of various colours and mahjong tiles as well as RM16,000 cash, believed to be the betting money.

“Based on the initial investigation, the group, comprising 17 men and a Myanmar woman, rented the double-storey house for the purpose of gambling in conjunction with the Chinese New Year celebration,” said a police spokesman when contacted last night.

Penang Criminal Investigation Department (CID) chief SAC Rahimi Mohd Ra’ais, when contacted, confirmed the arrest and said investigations are underway.

He said the 18 were also compounded RM1,000 each for violating the Movement Control Order (MCO).

-- BERNAMA