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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A search of an alleged illegal game room in Wahiawā added to Honolulu police’s wider crackdown on gambling operations across Oahu.
- Authorities seized 36 gambling machines and more than $20,000 in cash.
Honolulu police say a raid on an alleged illegal game room in Wahiawā recovered 36 gambling machines, $21,639 in cash, drugs, and a loaded firearm.
The seizure is the latest sign that Oahu law enforcement is still pressing a broader crackdown on illegal gambling rooms.
Police executed a search warrant around 9 p.m. Wednesday at a Lehua Street location in Wahiawā. According to Hoodline, the operation was led by the Honolulu Police Department’s Narcotics/Vice Division Gambling Detail, with assistance from several other units. There was no word on any arrests tied to the search.
Wahiawā search adds another case to Oahu enforcement push
HPD said all items recovered in the raid were submitted into evidence. In a statement, the department said it remains committed to addressing illegal gambling operations that negatively affect “the safety and quality of life in Oahu communities.”
The Wahiawā case fits into a wider campaign against game rooms on the island. HPD is currently aware of about 50 game rooms across Oahu, down from more than 100 before enforcement intensified. It also cited estimates that some rooms can bring in as much as $10,000 a day.
Hawaii officials continue to spotlight the size of the illegal market
The article also points to earlier enforcement actions in Moiliili. In one Hausten Street bust, police confiscated 74 gambling machines and $38,000 in cash. A July 8 operation at the same location reportedly uncovered 57 gaming machines, more than $12,000 in cash, illegal drugs, and drug paraphernalia.
By July 6, HPD had closed 28 illegal game rooms by serving 23 search warrants and securing compliance from four property owners, according to the report. Department of Law Enforcement Director Mike Lambert has previously estimated Hawaii’s illegal gaming industry at between $700 million and $800 million statewide.
Based on reporting by Erin Collins for Hoodline.
