Eighteen folks have been charged following a raid final month at an alleged unlawful gaming home in Richmond Hill.
On Sept. 19, York Regional Police’s (YRP) Particular Enforcement Crew (SET), executed a search warrant at a industrial unit at 3-155 West Beaver Creek Dr., close to Leslie Avenue and Freeway 7.
There, they allegedly seized a 2018 Mercedes convertible value $50,000, 4 poker tables, $53,000 in money, and two 9mm handguns: one from the enterprise and the opposite from a suspect’s car.
In complete, 18 folks have been charged with 22 offences.
John Margaronis, 43, and Damien Campbell, 46, each of Toronto, have been subsequently charged with retaining a typical gaming home.
Margaronis was moreover charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm realizing it’s unauthorized and with having a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm or with readily accessible ammunition.
Sixteen others have been additionally charged for being present in a typical gaming home.Police didn’t determine them.
Since June 2023, YRP’s SET has carried out 14 investigations into unlawful gaming homes, leading to charges being laid towards 163 folks for 210 offences.
Police mentioned they’ve additionally seized $14 million value of medication, $250,000 of gaming gear and automobiles, $431,000 in money, and 7 unlawful firearms.
“Illegal gaming houses operate in residential and commercial neighborhoods and bring an unwanted criminal element to our community. Illegal gaming fuels organized crime and can lead to other ancillary crimes such as arsons, extortions, loan sharking, shootings and robberies,” they mentioned in a information launch issued on Tuesday.
Police ask anybody with further info to contact them at 1-866-876-5423, ext.7817, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
