Police across Ontario swooped in on the management of an alleged gambling ring Tuesday morning, dismantling an organization they describe as one of the largest illegal gambling operations in Canada.
Police executed 13 separate search warrants and arrested 18 people. The raid involved RCMP and OPP, as well as local forces in Toronto, London, and York, Peel and Durham regions.
At a news conference Tuesday afternoon, officers called the raid ‘a significant disruption’ to the operation of Platinum Sportsbook, an online sports betting venture police allege to be a marriage between biker gangs and traditional organized crime.
“As it went along the investigation uncovered disturbing threats and acts of violence, including extortion and intimidation,” said Deputy Commissioner Scott Todd of the OPP.
Todd said the investigation into the illegal gaming ring began as an OPP investigation in 2011 and grew to include other police forces as it progressed. He said prior to the raids Platinum Sportsbook was taking in $1 million in profit each month.
Tuesday’s raid follows another province-wide sweep by police conducted on Super Bowl Sunday Feb. 3. That raid focused on a Markham banquet hall where a large Super Bowl party was taking place. Six men, alleged to be key figures in the operation, were arrested and $2.5 million was seized.
On Tuesday, police also seized four vehicles, including a Porsche, a Cadillac and a pickup truck, as well as two handguns, a Taser, computers, betting lists and banking statements.
The charges against those arrested include participating or engaging in a criminal organization, bookmaking and conspiracy to commit a criminal offence.
Two of the six men arrested in the original raid were arrested again Tuesday and charged with failing to comply with bail conditions, police said.
Four arrest warrants were also issued Tuesday for people who weren’t arrested during the raid.
Police reiterated Tuesday that proceeds from illegal gaming feed other sorts of criminal activity.
“Illegal gambling lines the pockets of organized crime groups,” said Deputy Chief Bruce Herridge of York Regional Police. “Moneys are utilized to fund other illegal ventures, including human trafficking, massage parlours and illegal gambling.”
