Police shut down illegal poker game

Alabama - A group of east Montgomery poker players got a surprise Friday night when police officers busted in.

They were playing inside a business at 64 Bell Road that was licensed as El Camino, a scooter sales company, police said.

However no scooters were being sold, and Thursday, Friday and Saturday night games of Texas Hold 'Em were being played, according to police. The poker games were illegal because the house was making a profit, police said.

The poker business was under the name Red Stag and was exclusive. It required patrons to fill out an application, have a membership card and ring a buzzer to gain entrance to the business near the intersection of Bell Road and Atlanta Highway, police said.

Capt. Joe Roberts, assistant division commander of special operations for MPD, said police seized poker tables, chips and money.

There were 35 people in the building when it was raided, and some of the patrons were carrying weapons, he said. The owner of the business and the dealers were taken into custody, Roberts said.

Police had been investigating the business for the past month or so after complaints from area residents.

"This is a high-profile business area, and no other businesses have their windows blacked out and are only going strong on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights," Roberts said.

The amount of money being gambled and the names of the business owner and dealers, as well as the charges against them, were not released as of press time.

Montgomery Advertiser

News Added: 02 August, 2008

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