Houston Poker Raid Gets 15 arrests; More Raids Planned

Houston Poker Raid Gets 15 arrests; More Raids Planned

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Those arrested were people who police said were dealers in the poker room.

HPD's Vice Division was so concerned about being able to get inside what they said was an illegal poker room, SWAT was called in to make sure the raid went off without a hitch.

This wasn’t an easy place to get into. The door was secured with locks and you had to have a special card to get in.

And a security company had been hired to watch the place from the outside.

Police tell us this was a place to play high dollar poker. Texas Hold 'Em poker to be exact.

A legal game if your playing at home among buddies and where the “house” isn’t taking a “rake” or a cut of the proceeds.

But if you're playing at a casino type establishment, where the house gets a cut of the money, well that's illegal gambling here in Texas.

Police arrested 15 people at the scene and the district attorney’s office charged them with engaging in organized crime. All of them were allegedly worked as dealers or game runners in the poker room.

Unlike the employees, the players were not taken into custody and many left quickly.

All of them were carrying subpoenas to appear before a Harris County grand jury.

HPD's vice division told 11 News it's undercover officers had been investigating the game room for more than a month.

They took us inside and showed us all the poker tables, cards and, of course, the money.

The place was set up like something you would see in Las Vegas.

After processing the scene, SWAT pulled out and so did the vice detectives.

But one of the last things they mentioned to 11 News was expect them to turn up somewhere else soon.

It’s unclear how many such poker rooms are operating in the Houston area, but investigators say “a lot.”