Police raid on gambling establishments in Saarland province
In a significant development, a joint operation by law enforcement agencies has targeted suspected organized crime groups involved in illegal gambling activities across Saarland and the Austrian city of Wels.
Last week, a major police operation was carried out in Wels, with approximately 400 officers, including special units and tax investigators, participating. The operation resulted in the seizure of an incredible 750 illegal slot machines, numerous mobile phones, laptops, storage media, and 270 boxes of corporate documents. Three suspects were arrested, accused of organized and commercial computer fraud, illegal gambling, and other offences.
Two pistols and a long gun were also found and seized during the searches in Wels. The city has been identified as a hub of illegal gambling, with businesses and casinos located on Bremerhof Street particularly popular with French players.
Investigators believe that these criminal clans have been financing themselves through illegal gaming halls, manipulated machines, tax evasion, and extortion. The software of the slot machines was allegedly manipulated to pay out fewer winnings. There are also suggestions of possible involvement in the crime from abroad.
In a related incident, a police raid took place in Saarland on 11.07.2021, targeting suspected organized crime involving illegal gambling. During the searches, police seized the slot machines of two casinos. It is still unclear if a police officer is involved in the activities in Saarland, but a police officer from Völklingen is suspected of involvement in the criminal activities in Saarland.
Earlier investigations on Bremerhof Street in Naßweiler had made the police aware of the group, with the street running directly along the border with France. The slot machines seized in Naßweiler will be examined by computer specialists in the coming days.
In August 2020, a large-scale raid on gambling activities took place in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), focusing on Arab-origin family clans. For up-to-date, official accounts, local or national police press releases and news outlets may provide more targeted coverage.
1) "What about the gambling trends in this general news? Are there any indications of illegal activities expanding beyond Saarland and Wels?"
2) "Among the casino-and-gambling establishments under scrutiny, it seems casinos on Bremerhof Street, particularly popular with French players, are involved in illegal activities such as manipulated casino-games and tax evasion."
3) "This ongoing crime-and-justice saga extends beyond the borders, with authorities investigating possible links to foreign entities in relation to the illegal lotteries and organized gambling syndicates."
