Częstochowa. 62 people accused of organizing illegal gambling, including the gang leader

The Silesian department of the National Prosecutor’s Office has submitted an indictment to the court against 62 people in an investigation into a group organizing illegal gambling games – informed the Press Department of the National Prosecutor’s Office. The accused include the gang leader and employees of gambling outlets.

The indictment against 62 people was sent to the District Court in Częstochowa. “The accused include the head of an organized criminal group, as well as people organizing illegal gambling games, employees of gambling establishments and owners of real estate – premises where illegal gambling games were organized,” the PK reported.

“The prosecutor accused the defendants of participating in an organized criminal group involved in organizing illegal gambling games and participating in conducting such games, which involved letting customers into the premises, withdrawing winnings, and closing the premises when they received warnings from the organizers about possible customs inspections. -treasury” – said PK.

The investigation into this case was conducted by the Silesian Branch of the Department of Organized Crime and Corruption of the National Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice. It concerned two criminal groups organizing illegal gambling games on slot machines in Częstochowa, Dąbrowa Górnicza, Zawiercie and other towns.

“During the investigation, the prosecutor found that the groups’ structures were very well organized and hierarchical. In each group, there was a constant division of tasks and roles between individual members. The operation of gambling establishments would not have been possible if it were not for the cooperation with corrupt customs officers who warned the organizers of illegal gambling. about planned inspections of premises, instructed them on how to behave to avoid seizure of machines and liquidation of premises, and about ways to avoid criminal liability,” the PK explained.

The National Prosecutor’s Office recalled that so far the prosecutor has filed five indictments against a total of 111 people. “A preventive measure in the form of pre-trial detention was or is still being applied to 45 defendants. Already in November 2022, the prosecutor filed an indictment against 10 officers CASH, whom he accused of committing, among others, acts of a corrupt nature,” the PK reported.

“During the investigation, over 450 machines used in organizing illegal gambling games were seized, PLN 400,000 from the illegal activities was seized, and the property of the accused was secured in the total amount of over PLN 8 million,” the PK added.

The offenses charged in the indictment and classified as criminal and fiscal offenses are punishable by up to 5 years in prison. However, defendants who are also charged with corruption offenses face up to 15 years in prison.