HILO — Police on Tuesday raided a number of Big Island establishments they described as illegal gambling operations.
HILO — Police on Tuesday raided a number of Big Island establishments they described as illegal gambling operations.
Nine search warrants were served at seven gaming rooms and two homes, according to a written police statement.
Five of the establishments were located in Hilo — on Hualani Street, Kalanikoa Street, Kilauea Avenue, West Lanikaula Street and Manono Street, police said. One establishment is located on Mamalahoa Highway in Waimea, and another is on Kaiwi Street in Kona.
The homes raided were on Waipio Road in Honokaa and Wana Street in Kona.
Police Capt. Robert Wagner of the Hilo Criminal Investigation Division said late Tuesday afternoon the search warrants are the result of an investigation over several months.
“We’re still recovering evidence at this time. It might be a long night for us,” he said.
Wagner said gambling devices are being confiscated, as well as gambling proceeds, records and other evidence. He said there was no count yet of machines or money, and no one had been arrested.
“We don’t anticipate any arrests today,” Wagner said. “It may happen, but we don’t have any arrests as of yet.”
Dan Ferris said officers entered Reel Fun Amusements at the Waiakea Villas business complex while he was playing one of the machines, which he said takes cash only.
“I put $20 in the machine,” Ferris said. “You can pay whatever amount you want, but I’m playing a dollar a shot because I want to win the $2,500 and if I lose, I lose. So I’m playing my fifth spin, for a dollar, and all of a sudden, the cops are there. They came in and said they’re serving a search warrant. I’m sitting there right next to the office. They’re opening the door, and they open the cash register, and there’s nothing. They just opened.”
An officer stationed just inside of the building’s door didn’t allow media to enter while the raid was occurring.
Ferris said officers asked everybody for their driver’s license or ID cards, took down the information and made them fill out forms acknowledging they were on the premises of the game room and asking if they wished to make a statement. Ferris said he didn’t make a statement.
“They just shut it down,” Ferris said. “And as I’m taking photos — I’m pretending to talk on the phone, but I’m taking photos — they said, ‘Sir, you have to put the cellphone down or surrender it.’ I said, ‘I’ll surrender it if you like.’ He took it from me, but he gave it back to me after I filled out my form.”
Police said they were assisted by investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office, as well as Honolulu Police Department and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
Asked about the federal agency’s interest, Wagner said, “They can look at documents and interpret to us what it means, where the money is going, if there’s money laundering. They can help us decipher the money flow and where it’s going in respect to these establishments.”
Wagner said the investigation will continue.