Eleven people were arrested as a result of a multi-day operation targeting illegal gaming operations in Florida, according to the state’s attorney general.
Attorney General James Uthmeier announced Wednesday that the operation, named “Operation Sunset Stakes,” which spanned Lee and Collier counties, also resulted in the seizure of 479 illegal machines and $294,150 in illicit proceeds.
“Illegal gambling operations pose a threat to public safety and undermine our compact with the Seminole Tribe, which provides billions of dollars to the state to protect our environmental resources,” Uthmeier said in a news release. “These illegal casinos fuel larger criminal enterprises that contribute to drug and human trafficking. We will continue working with our law enforcement partners to shut down all illegal gaming operations across the state.”
The operation was led by the Gaming Control Commission, the Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Collier County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office.
Since the beginning of the year, 81 people have been arrested as a result of a statewide crackdown on illegal gaming operations, officials said. More than 3,000 machines and $1.7 million in illicit proceeds have been seized.