Eleven people were arrested Wednesday morning during a raid on what law enforcement officials described as an illegal gambling operation in a Westminster neighborhood.
Westminster police officers discovered four suspected gambling machines, narcotics and drug paraphernalia during a search of a home in the 6000 block of Apache Road at around 10:30 a.m., authorities said.
It is not clear what drew officers to the house Wednesday morning.
“What I can say is that officers developed probable cause to execute a search warrant,” Commander Andy Stowers said. The story was first reported by KTLA.
Police have not released the names of those arrested. The individuals were booked on suspicion of various charges, including illegal gambling, drug possession, parole violations and existing arrest warrants, police said.
“The Westminster Police Department does not tolerate illegal gambling establishments, commonly known as ‘slaphouses,’ within our community,” the department said in a news release. “These operations are often associated with criminal activity, including illegal gambling, drug use, and potential violence, which threaten public safety and negatively impact the quality of life in our neighborhoods.”
Aerial photos from KTLA appear to show 11 men and women sitting on the ground detained outside of a home in a residential neighborhood sandwiched between the 405 and 22 freeways.
Westminster is no stranger to these types of establishments.
An illegal gambling den was also discovered in August in the 9800 block of Bolsa Avenue. Police confiscated gambling machines and seven people were arrested and booked on suspicion of arrest warrants, narcotics possession and sales, illegal gambling and firearm violations.
In May 2024, police conducted a business check at a cafe on Bushard Street and Bolsa Avenue and found five illegal gambling machines. Employees did not deny illegal gambling was taking place at the establishment, according to Westminster police.
That same year, some residents claimed that they avoided playing tennis at Tony Lam park “due to the presence of gambling.”
Eight people were also arrested at a slaphouse at the 8900 block of Barcelona Place in November 2023. In that bust, authorities said they recovered $500, drug paraphernalia, more than 92 grams of suspected methamphetamine and five gaming machines.
