Sunday January 29, 2012

Cyber gambler has child in tow

GEORGE TOWN: A man who brought his three-year-old son to a gambling den was among 36 people detained during a police blitz on nine cyber cafes providing online gambling.

A team of policemen stormed one of the premises in Sungai Nibong and found the father, an odd job worker in his 30s, busy placing bets in front of a computer screen with his son sitting next to him.

Upon interrogation, the police learnt that his wife was ill and was warded in hospital.

It is learnt that the man said he had to bring his son along as nobody was at home to look after him.

George Town OCPD Asst Comm Gan Kong Meng said the father has been released on police bail.

He said police would continue with their efforts to flush out such activities but at the same time the people must play their part by not frequenting such places.

He said the 36 arrests, which included 13 caretakers, were picked up at nine premises in Sungai Nibong, Jelutong, Batu Ferringhi, Datuk Keramat and Jalan Patani.

The suspects were between the ages of 20 and 50. Police also seized RM2,444 and 111 computers.

ACP Gan said more than 100 policemen were involved in the operation which lasted four hours until 3am yesterday.

He added that police would inform the Penang Municipal Council to cut off electricity and water supply to the premises.

“At the same time, we will also ask the Inland Revenue Board to conduct checks on the financial status of these operators.

“They have been raking in millions of ringgit from these illegal activities,” he said.

George Town deputy OCPD Supt Ahmad Bakhtiar Kassim also carried out raids on three entertainment outlets here.

A total of 79 people, aged between 20 and 50, were picked up from two outlets in George Town and another outlet in Relau. They included Chinese and Indonesian nationals.

Four of them tested positive for drugs during the four-hour operation which lasted until 4am yesterday.

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