Houston gambling den busted, with over $9,000 seized and one charged

A gambling den in Houston was busted by local police, which involved the seizure of $9,000 and resulted in one individual being charged.

Detectives from Constable Mark Herman’s Regulatory Enforcement Unit responded to anonymous tips pointing to a location believed to facilitate the illegal activity.

Houston business used as a front for gambling den

The news of the bust was posted to the Harris County Facebook page, detailing that the store, located in the 900 block of FM 1960 Rd W, Houston, Texas was subject to the police raid.

In the social media post, the heading “ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATION SHUT DOWN BY CONSTABLE MARK HERMAN’S OFFICE!” was emblazoned in all caps.

“During the operation, deputies seized over $9,000 in cash gambling proceeds, numerous illegal gambling devices and documentation supporting illegal gambling activity,” read the post.

Phong Thanh Tu has been publicly named as the suspect arrested as part of the coordinated move for alleged “Possession of Gambling Devices/Equipment/Paraphernalia.”

This is a repeat offence, says the Regulatory Enforcement Unit, as Thanh Tu was arrested for the same reason five years prior in 2020.

“Illegal gambling establishments attract a wide range of criminal activity and pose a serious threat to community safety,” said the constable’s office when commenting on illegal locations.

After obtaining the search warrant for the suspected gambling location, officers from Constable Herman’s office enforced the order to search the premises.

The post concluded, stating that “these operations violate the Peace and Dignity of the State of Texas, and that their proceeds often fund dangerous criminal enterprises.”

Illegal gambling in Texas

Illegal gambling in the Lone Star State has a history of being swiftly dealt with by local law enforcement.

As we reported, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and Sheriff Javier Salazar flagged an arrest of 22 individuals, sixty gambling machines and $67,350 in a similar coordinated bust.

Another case investigated at the federal level involved Dominga “Penny” Ledesma, who pleaded guilty to charges related to operating illegal gambling establishments across South Texas, alongside game room owner Rene Gamez.

For this elaborate lattice of false information and front companies, the accused was handed an 18-month sentence for the use of deceased people’s details to process twenty-one million ($21,000,000) USD in cash transactions tied to the El Toro Game Room.

Featured image: Harris County Police Department

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