Police in North Carolina have managed to shut down two illegal gambling operations. The first links back to another case where an arcade manager was found to be running an illegal gambling ring with 50 machines seized in a raid.
The arcade manager was shot last week, leaving him injured. Ibrahim Durra, the manager, cooperated with law enforcement to allow them to enter the property. When the police came through with a search warrant, they found less evidence about the shooting and more to do with gambling.
Alongside the machines that were seized, $9,000 in cash loose in a bag and a firearm were found on the premises too. It’s still unclear if the manager was shot over gambling or another incident. However, he isn’t a suspect in the case yet.
According to warrants, this has been happening since 2022. Machines seized in the raid included slot machines, fish table games, and gambling redemption kiosks. If charged, the manager could face either illegal gambling charges or something related to the firearm.
North Carolina has strict laws on the possession of illegal machines, with either misdemeanor or felony charges depending on the extent of the crime. Owning five is a felony, according to WCNC.
Second North Carolina location hit with illegal gambling woes
Charlotte police also found another location running an illegal gambling house. While not as dramatic as the case above, they found four illegal machines being operated with kiosks for redemption and depositing cash.
According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the store in question was warned in 2024 about the illegality of the machines. However, nothing was done. An investigation was originally opened to look into the store, as “44 citizen-initiated calls for service” occurred from August to December 2024.
No major arrests happened, but two people using the machines were charged with misdemeanor. According to reports, $13,000 in cash was also seized.
