After the recent crackdown on gambling activities by the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar Police Commissionerate, the notorious gambling mafia seems to have devised an innovative way of running their dens to dodge the prying eyes of informers and local police personnel.
This came to light after the police raided two empty shipping containers which had been transformed into gambling dens in Bhayandar. Acting on a tip-off about the illegal activities, a team led by PSI Nitin Fulpagare under the instructions of Senior Police Inspector Chandrakant Jadhav swooped down on the containers which were placed on a vacant construction site named Sikandar Ground in Bhayandar (west).
The police team was surprised to find that the containers had been converted into full-fledged gambling dens. Eight people including the operator who were found placing huge stakes on card games including teen-patti (flash), a three-card gambling game, were apprehended.
Besides gambling material, the police team seized cash amounting more than Rs. 64,840 from the accused who along with the property owner has been booked under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and section 4 and 5 of the Maharashtra Prevention of Gambling Act, 1887.
Police personnel Ravindra Beldar Newase and Abhijeet Thakur were part of the raiding team. Further investigations were underway.
Apart from being used as makeshift offices at construction sites, second hand shipping containers are now being utilized for illegal activities like gambling. Moreover, several hotel and dhaba owners on the highway belt in Kashimira have converted containers into luxurious rooms, sans any permission from the authorities.
