Four people were arrested Wednesday morning after San Diego police raided a suspected illegal gambling operation in a City Heights home, officials said.
Officers served a search warrant before 6 a.m. at a home on Central Avenue near El Cajon Boulevard and seized nine gambling machines containing $625 and a loaded semi-automatic handgun, a police spokesperson said. Four people were arrested on gambling-related charges, he said.
Officers from several teams, including the vice unit, the drone unit and the gun violence restraining order team, participated in the raid.
The raid came after investigators received community complaints of narcotics use and possible prostitution in the area.
“Illegal gambling establishments pose significant risks to the community,” the department said in a news release. Such operations can attract additional criminal activity and “can become hubs for exploitation and financial harm.”