Illegal Dongguan casino raided

Nearly 100 gamblers were arrested last December in a secret raid on an illegal casino in the city of Dongguan, the South China Morning Post reported. Authorities did not publicize the news until last Tuesday. The raid on the Guangdong city’s largest casino was executed by an army of 500 policy officers and 14 armored vehicles. Those arrested included gamblers from Europe and Southeast Asia. Dongguan is already reputed to be the vice capital of China, with massive prostitution and gambling industries.The raided casino was spread over two floors and contained 23 gambling tables, VIP rooms and a kitchen. According to a report in the Southern Metropolis News, between US$2.92 million and US$4.39 million was put on the tables each night. The report also said the casino owner was linked with Hong Kong triads and was run according to Macau industry standards, including using trained croupiers from Macau and offering security escorts to big winners. The casino operated with tacit approval from local police and government officials, and Dongguan’s police chief was dismissed following the raid.