Shelby County is taking a stand against illegal gambling, with a recent operation spearheaded by the District Attorney Steve Mulroy’s office and the West Tennessee Drug Task Force leading to the seizure of illicit gambling machines. As reported by Action News 5, the sting operation on Wednesday recovered gambling machines from five locations and simultaneously seized about $15,000 in cash. The crackdown aims to directly confront the spread of these machines which, according to DA Mulroy, are becoming an increasingly common issue despite clear legal prohibitions.
Focusing on the broader impact on the community, these illegal machines have been reliably linked to a wider constellation of criminal activities. Mulroy emphasized the associated rise in instances of violent crime, such as armed robberies and assaults, that these gambling devices seem to invite and sustain. "These illegal gambling machines have become increasingly common throughout Shelby County," Mulroy stated in an interview given to Local Memphis.
In what seems a chilling validation of such consequences, the Jackson Avenue Mapco gas station was outed by WREG as a hub for a spike in crime with about 200 calls for service in two years in response to various criminal incidents.
Authorities have made clear that this is not an isolated problem, with the West Tennessee Drug Task Force finding illegal gambling machines in one third of all locations they checked this week. These findings highlight the pervasiveness of the issue across Shelby County. Director Johnie Carter of the Task Force told Local Memphis, “When you bring illegal gambling machines in, it sends a message that you can tolerate other illegal activities.” This echoes the growing concern regarding the intertwining of gambling machines with other illicit activities, including money laundering.
Pushing past the mere extraction of illegal equipment, enforcement agencies are also looking to hold accountable those who own and operate such machines. "The message that needs to go out to Shelby County business owners is this: These machines are illegal. They are clearly illegal," Mulroy articulated, according to a statement obtained by Local Memphis. He warned that continual operation of these devices will not only result in the seizure of the machines but also could potentially lead to prosecution. The DA's office, through these actions and pronouncements, hopes to significantly reduce the presence of illegal gambling in the county.
