SIBU, Sept 20: Forty-two individuals including the caretakers of two premises were compounded a total of RM120,000 for not adhering to the Movement Control Order by indulging in illegal gambling activities in two premises along Jalan Wong King Huo yesterday.
The two caretakers were compounded RM20,000 each for allowing their premises to be used for the illegal activity while 40 other individuals were compounded RM2,000 each.
Sibu District Police Chief ACP Stanley Jonathan Ringgit said acting on a tip-off, a Criminal Investigation Department (CID) team conducted raded the two premises at 1.45pm.
“The gate of the first premises was locked and the team had to break its padlock. While inside the premises they found 26 men and two women sitting at seven tables playing ‘mah jong’ and ‘tou gee’,” he said.
In the second raid, the team nabbed 14 more individuals including a woman, who were playing ‘mah jong’ on the first floor of a premises near the first premises.
All suspects, aged between 31 to 70 years, were later detained under Section 6 (1) of the Common Gambling Houses Act 1953.
The police had also confiscated 10 tables, 35 plastic chairs and various gambling paraphernalia as case items.
The suspects, he said were found to have violated the standard operating procedures (SOPs) of the Movement Control Order under Regulation 17 (1) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases (Measures in Local Areas of Infection) (National Recovery Plan) Regulations 2021. — DayakDaily
