Illegal gambling operation busted in Alameda, 2 arrests made

KRON4 spoke with people who live in the neighborhood where the bust took place.

On Tuesday morning, Alameda police seized nearly 10 illegal slot machines, gaming tables, cash, drug paraphernalia, and two firearms — including an assault rifle.

Everything was found inside a home in Alameda’s West End neighborhood, near Webster Street.

“It’s quiet,” said Alameda resident Justin Brown. “There’s a farmers’ market on the other side of the block; I grew up on the other side of the town.”

Brown says this crime is a far cry from the area he knows and enjoys.

“I was pretty surprised,” Brown added. “I didn’t know anything about or see anything going on our block.”

Other Alameda residents say there are even more serious crimes the city should be worried about.

“I think the things that are more concerning to a lot of people in this neighborhood are like ram-raids. That’s more concerning,” said one Alameda mother. “We had the local fair recently get ram-raided. I didn’t even hear about this.”

In response to those concerns, Alameda Police Chief Nishant Joshi says all crimes are taken seriously by the department.

“That type of activity brings other criminal activity, things as little as blight all the way up to violence,” Chief Joshi said.

Alameda police arrested two suspects in connection to Tuesday’s illegal gambling den.

“The good thing is that we know this gambling den hasn’t been up no more than a couple of months,” Chief Joshi said.

Joshi says neighborhood support is what helps solve crimes. “There were people who came out and voluntarily provided information, so that tells me this community is committed to public safety as just as much as the Alameda Police Department is.”

The investigation is still ongoing. The case is now in the hands of the district attorney’s office, which will determine what charges, if any, will be filed.