Alleged illegal gambling den bust in San Diego home nets 4 people

Four people were arrested after police shut down an alleged illegal gambling den operated out of a City Heights home, it was announced Thursday.

San Diego police said that after receiving complaints of drug and prostitution-related activity near the residence, a search warrant was served Tuesday morning at the Central Avenue home.

Along with the arrests, police seized nine illegal gambling machines, money and a loaded firearm, according to SDPD Lt. Tim Radtke.

San Diego police said this is the fourth raid in the past six months in the City Heights area and they’re really not sure why so many are starting to pop up.

Elaine May lives next door to the raided home. She’s noticed this alley has been more busy during the past month.

“A lot of really weird-dressed people would come. I mean, like, they were, like, wearing evening clothes in the middle of the day. They’d come around, maybe, you know, three or four in the afternoon and just ring the doorbell and disappear,” May said.

The police department issued a statement saying, “Illegal gambling establishments pose significant risks to the community. These locations often attract additional criminal activity, including narcotics sales, theft, violence and threaten the  security of our neighborhoods within which they unlawfully operate. Because they operate outside of regulated environments, they lack proper security, create unsafe conditions for occupants and nearby businesses and can become hubs for exploitation and financial harm.”

A mom lives further down the block from the raided home. She said she’s so desensitized to police activity in the area, she didn’t flinch when she saw them on Wednesday morning.

“It’s so kind of normal down this block that I was like, ‘oh, OK. I guess I’ve got to get ready for work now.’ And they were doing their thing. And by the time we left for school, they were already gone,” that neighbor said.

“We have so many casinos here in San Diego County, and realistically, Las Vegas is a 45-minute flight away. So I don’t know why they’re bringing that into our neighborhoods,” said SDPD Officer Anthony Carrasco.

The SDPD urged anyone aware of similar activity in their area to contact its non-emergency line at 619-531-2000 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580- 8477.