Melbourne police dismantle illegal casinos linked to drug syndicate

Victoria Police, working with Taskforce VIPER and the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission, have dismantled two illegal casinos operating in suburban Melbourne homes. The months-long investigation, which began in July, resulted in the arrest of 29 individuals.

During raids across Melbourne's east and north, including locations in Carnegie, Box Hill, and Bundoora, authorities seized $600,000 in cash, 7 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 5 kilograms of ketamine. Police also impounded illicit tobacco, vapes, and various weapons, including machetes, tasers, swords, and daggers.

The investigation uncovered a network allegedly linking large-scale illegal gambling to drug trafficking between Victoria and Western Australia. Arrests included several foreign nationals, and one 40-year-old woman faces charges for trafficking a large commercial quantity of methamphetamine, an offense that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.