Honolulu police say an illegal game room on Kawaiahaʻo Street is out of business after a Tuesday evening raid that ended with two arrests, a bank of gambling machines loaded onto trucks, and nearly $4,000 in cash counted out on scene. Officers served a search warrant at about 5 p.m. and reported finding drug-related paraphernalia inside the space. The two suspects were arrested without incident, according to police.
What officers recovered
Inside the room, officers say they found 16 electronic gambling machines with an estimated combined value of about $135,000, along with $3,910 in cash and drug-related paraphernalia. The operation was led by the Narcotics/Vice Division Gambling Detail, with backup from the District 1 Crime Reduction Unit, the Forfeiture Detail, the Airport Operations Group and the Specialized Services Division. A 58-year-old woman from Kāneʻohe and a 29-year-old man from ʻAiea were arrested on suspicion of promoting gambling in the second degree and possession of a gambling device, according to the Honolulu Police Department.
Part of a citywide crackdown
Police say the Kawaiahaʻo Street bust is not a one-off. It is the latest move in a months-long push by the city and HPD to shut down illegal game rooms across Oʻahu.
Officials describe a coordinated strategy that pairs HPD with code-enforcement and federal partners to close problem venues and hold property owners responsible. City leaders this year also signed bills aimed at making it easier to seize unregistered gambling devices and increase penalties on violators, according to Hawaiʻi Public Radio.
What the charges mean
Promoting gambling in the second degree is a class C felony under state law, while possession of a gambling device is typically charged as a misdemeanor. Prosecutors have the option to seek tougher consequences for large or repeat operations. Those definitions and penalties are laid out in the Hawaii Revised Statutes, including HRS §712-1222 and HRS §712-1226.
How to report suspected game rooms
Honolulu police are asking residents to keep the tips coming. Anyone who suspects an illegal game room can call the Narcotics/Vice 24-hour hotline at (808) 723-3933 or use HPD’s online tip form.
Those contact options are listed in department public notices and recent local coverage, and HPD also posted about the Kawaiahaʻo Street operation on its X account. For more information on the raid and the broader crackdown, see Hawaii News Now.
