Gaming machines seized from Gadsden County web cafe, authorities say

HAVANA, Fla. (WCTV) – Law enforcement executed a search warrant at an web cafe in Havana on Thursday as a part of an undercover operation, in line with the Florida Highway Patrol.

The web cafe, positioned on U.S. 27 and Washington Avenue, was searched by the Florida Gaming Control Commission for allegedly working an unlawful playing operation. They say a number of arrests are pending.

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“This is the result of months-long investigation about illegal gambling up here in Havana,” mentioned Carl Herold, director of the Florida Gaming Control Commission.

For greater than an hour on Thursday, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, Florida Highway Patrol, and the Gadsden County Sheriff’s Office have been on scene as crews seized dozens of unlawful slot machines from the enterprise.

One man who lives close by, Dillion Matthews, says he watched all of it unfold from throughout the road.

“I see a bunch of cops pull up, and they jump out of the vehicle, and they start banging on this dang door across the way over there and saying ‘search warrant, search warrant, search warrant.’ And then they kicked the door in, and I didn’t know what the heck was going on. I thought the place was abandoned over there,” Matthews mentioned.

Herold says criminals typically buy these machines in different states after which carry them into Florida illegally by truck or ship. He says they’re unlawful to personal and transport within the state.

“Ultimately, these locations are cheating everybody in the State of Florida; they’ve got their machines set so they are cheating individuals, there is little opportunity for folks to actually win any money,” Herold mentioned.

Browning Moving and Storage was contracted to take away the machines, loading every one up and filling two giant vans. Workers say the machines have been concerning the dimension of a fridge and that they take delight in serving to take away criminal activity from the neighborhood.

“That’s where we come to play in, we move everything to the evidence locker and drop it off from there,” mentioned Javorri Hart and Tim Day. “I’m just happy to put a stop to criminals, you know what I mean, we’re all about justice.”

Officials say they’re nonetheless working to find out precisely what number of machines and the way a lot cash have been seized. The director says all the machines shall be destroyed.

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