Illegal Casino Raid Leads to 10 Arrests in San Jose

Posted on: December 5, 2023, 06:38h. 

Last updated on: December 9, 2023, 01:08h.

Ed Silverstein @casinoorgedsilv Read More
Expertise: Legal, Tribal Gaming.

Ten suspects were apprehended last week in San Jose, Calif. after local police searched an illegal gaming joint, authorities announced on Monday.

Cash, drug paraphernalia and guns
Cash, drug paraphernalia and guns, pictured above. The items were seized during a gambling raid in San Jose, Calif. (Image: San Jose Police Department)

During the early morning raid last Thursday, police discovered 34 individuals in the residence, located in the 2800 block of Garden Avenue. They were detained by local police.

Three of the suspects were believed to have run the operation. They are Thuy Pham, 51, Xuan Nguyen, 46, and Vu Nguyen 37. Each resides in San Jose. The three men were charged with multiple firearm-related counts, drug sales, conspiracy, maintaining and operating a drug house, and operating an illegal gambling establishment.

All three were booked at the Santa Clara County Main Jail. It appears they were released from custody, according to online jail records.

Initially, Pham and Xuan Nguyen were apprehended after being found hiding in a crawl space in the residence. Seven other unnamed suspects who were in the residence during the raid were booked for felony and misdemeanor warrants. Police didn’t say what charges were included on the pending warrants.

The property was a front for illicit gambling and other crimes, such as drug sales, police said.

Meth, Gambling Machines Found

During the search, officers seized nine gambling machines, $2,075 in cash, several narcotics pipes, and about 44.1 grams of suspected methamphetamine (meth).

Also seized were two firearms, including a stolen handgun that had been converted into a fully automatic machine pistol, according to San Jose police. A second gun, ammo, and a loaded high-capacity magazine also were seized from the residence.

The raid unfolded after a months-long investigation by the San Jose Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit, which came to realize that various criminal activity was taking place at the residence.

Officers have said they often rely on tips from residents to identify illegal gambling dens. Closing these operations is a continuing priority for the police department.

Prior Gambling Raids

In April, San Jose police raided a network of seven underground casinos. Approximately $300K in cash, about a dozen firearms, and eight pounds of suspected cocaine and meth were seized during the court-approved search.

Previously, San Jose police conducted raids on other illegal gambling operations in the city. Many of these gambling dens were the scenes of drug activity.

Illegal drugs were often seized during the searches. In 2021, officers found over 300 pounds of suspected marijuana with a street value of about $600K during a raid.