Twenty-three slot machines, about $1,000 cash and narcotics were among the things San Diego police found at 4835 El Cajon Blvd.
The owner of MGK — the auto shop at that address — said he had nothing to do with the bust, yet he showed up Tuesday morning to find his shop raided.
Misak Gumushyan’s gate was busted open, his doors were broken off their hinges and his security camera was disconnected. He thought he’d been burglarized until he saw surveillance photos showing a SWAT team searching his shop.
The San Diego Police Department raided his shop around 6 a.m.
“Both addresses were on the search warrant because it was one building,” SDPD Lt. Tim Radtke said. “So what he thought was a burglary was SWAT just accessing his building.”
Gumushyan said the real address where the raid happened was his neighbor, 4829 El Cajon Blvd.
He wants to know why the raid was pinned to his address instead of 4829 El Cajon Blvd. He also wants to know why his cameras were turned off, why police left his place destroyed and his gate wide open, with no note telling him who came.
He said he doesn’t know anyone involved in this bust, but after 26 years in business, he feels like collateral damage.
“I’m sure this is going to be a hit on my business and my reputation and everything,” Gumushyan said. “I don’t know what it’s going to be.”
A second warrant led officers to a self-storage facility at Third Avenue and Emerson Street in Chula Vista.
The department said it found 39 more gambling machines and another $800 linked to the City Heights address.
Radtke said illegal gambling is popular in San Diego and dangerous.
“Narcotics plus weapons, plus you’re losing money, anything could occur,” he said. “It’s a cocktail for something bad that could happen.”
Police are still looking for more illegal gambling tips to their hotline or Crime Stoppers.
SDPD said they will pay for the damage they caused to the shop, but Gumushyan said until that happens, he’s on the hook for about $1,000.