“Operation Double Down” Cracks Down on Illegal Gambling in Houston – $16M Seized, Multiple Arrests Made
Remember all the game room bus from yesterday? Federal authorities have arrested several people from the Houston area in one of the largest law enforcement operations ever in the Southern District of Texas. The charges include conspiracy, operating illegal game rooms, bribery, and money laundering.
Yesterday, over 700 officers from 18 agencies raided 30 illegal game rooms across Houston, seizing more than $16 million in cash, assets, and accounts. Authorities recovered:
• $4.5 million in cash
• $5 million in property and vehicles
• 2,000 slot machines
• 100 Rolex watches
• 8 firearms
• $6.5 million from financial accounts
The game rooms had names like El Portal and Yellow Building. The illegal gambling operation reportedly generated over $22 million in profits.
Nizar Ali, 61, of Richmond, is accused of leading the operation and is facing additional charges of paying over $500,000 in bribes to an undercover officer to avoid police interference. If convicted, he could face decades in prison and hefty fines.
In total, 14 individuals have been arrested from cities like Richmond, Sugar Land, Pasadena, LaPorte, and Houston. Two others remain on the run. During the operation, authorities also arrested 31 undocumented immigrants on various immigration and firearms charges. One of them allegedly assaulted an officer.
The investigation was led by ICE-HSI and IRS-Criminal Investigation, with support from HPD, the FBI, DEA, ATF, and multiple other state and local agencies.
