LARNACA A total of €4,500 was seized and 12 people were arrested yesterday during a police raid on an illegal casino in Larnaca.
According to Larnaca police spokesman Christos Andreou, the authorities raided the casino at around 1pm after two undercover police officers first entered the establishment and paid the management cash to gamble with.
“Members of the crime prevention unit, acting on information that illegal gambling was taking place, raided the casino in Athinon Avenue as part of an anti-gambling operation,” said Andreou.
The spokesman added that police arrested eight Greek Cypriot suspected punters, three female European nationals, who are believed to have been running the games, and a Nigerian cleaner on suspicion of illegally residing in Cyprus.
“Officers also seized €4.500 in cash, seven poker tables, one roulette table and several personal computers as well as decks of cards and playing chips.”
The three female suspects were charged and released to appear in court at a later date.
According to Andreou the police were yesterday questioning the Cypriot suspects before deciding whether to charge them with illegal gambling.
“The police force is determined to continue its crackdown on gambling and will not hesitate to raid any establishment suspected of breaking the law,” Andreou concluded.