A 54-year-old Burnaby man and a 46-year-old Vancouver woman have been charged with running illegal gambling houses in Burnaby and Vancouver.
B.C.’s anti-gang and anti-organized crime team, the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit, launched an investigation in March 2023 into an illegal Lower Mainland gambling operation, according to a news release Thursday.
The investigation quickly evolved to include more than one gaming house, and officers ended up executing multiple search warrants in Burnaby and Vancouver, the release said.
During the raids, investigators seized gaming tables and equipment, $240,000, cell phones, tablets, laptops and digital video recorders, as well as about 145 kilograms of illegal tobacco.
On Aug. 26, charges of keeping a common gaming house and selling unstamped tobacco products were filed against Burnaby’s Shahrouz “Shaz” Younesi.
Vancouver’s Xioyi “Karen” Zhang was charged only with keeping a common gaming house.
The Burnaby charges relate to an alleged illegal gambling operation in the 4000 block of Grange St. in Burnaby, according to CFSEU.
CFSEU PHOTO Investigators found this gaming table while executing a search warrant in the 4000 block of Grange Street in Burnaby last month.
Shahrouz and Zhang are scheduled to make their first appearance in Vancouver provincial court on Sept. 24.
“This investigation highlights the scale and complexity of illegal gaming operations and the significant resources required to disrupt them,” CFSEU media relations officer Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha said in the release. “The resulting charges, seizures and forfeitures reflect the dedication of our investigators and the strength of our partnerships.”