Illegal gambling operations shut down in Monterey County

Several illegal gambling operations were raided and shut down in Monterey County.

Friday morning, the Salinas Violence Suppression Task Force, along with the Salinas SWAT team, US Marshalls, State Parole, CHP, Monterey County DA’s Office, and Salinas Patrol, served a four locations search warrant in Salinas, including one on Madison Lane.

During the search, officers seized more than 60 computers, two loaded guns, two ounces of methamphetamine, cash and other illegal gambling items.

Police found illegal gambling at two of the four locations. The main bust on Madison Lane and the other on North Main Street.

KION spoke with a neighboring business on Madison lane and the owner said he noticed lots of people around the property at night.

“We have security cameras and we’d see people turning around in our driveway at night which we used to never have,” Green Line Plumbing owner David Phillips said.

According to Salinas police, the Violence Suppression Task Force had been tracking the illegal gambling activity since last year.

“The investigation started in early 2018 as a result of several complaints received from residents of Salinas regarding drug being sold and used at some of the locations,” said SPD.

30-year-old George Yakoub and 38-year-old Osama Attila were arrested and booked into Monterey County Jail on several charges.

Yakoub is currently awaiting trial on several other charges including burglary, and strong-armed robbery.

Authorities told KION they believe the illegal gambling operations are connected to prison gangs across the state and maybe even the county.

“The prison gangs are connected to some of the people that we have been investigating, not just people we’ve taken into custody,” SPD assistant chief Roberto Filice said. “That’s where we made the connection between money laundering, purchase and sales of drugs illegal drugs. That’s what the investigation started as.”

According to SPD, the case is still under investigation.