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CAUGHT: Seven men were nabbed in the Tuesday-night raid. Police believe three of them worked at the gambling den while the others were suspected clients. Police officers were also seen removing evidence from the premises. -- PHOTO: SHIN MIN
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IT WAS supposed to be a basketball club but the only games going on in there were poker, blackjack and other forms of gambling.
Police raided the premises of Geylang Basketball Club on Tuesday night and arrested seven men. They also seized 31 computers, 16 jackpot machines and $5,000 cash.
The club is located on the second floor of Lau's Arcadia in East Coast Road - the same building where, two years ago, a group of Singaporean men were caught operating a casino out of the Senegal consulate office on the fourth floor.
The former honorary consul, Sujono 'Benny' Kusni, is accused of letting the consulate office be used as a gambling den from October to November 2006, and pocketing about $69,000 in the process.
His case is still pending, although at least 20 other people have been fined or jailed for their part in the casino.
In the latest raid, police believe that at least three of the seven men who were nabbed worked at the gambling den. The others were suspected clients.
The men were aged between 20 and 50.
Anyone who runs a gambling den can be jailed for up to three years and fined up to $50,000.
The Basketball Association of Singapore said the Geylang Basketball Club is not affiliated to it.
It was registered last September as a business management and consultancy services firm.
CAROLYN QUEK
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