Eighteen people have been charged following a raid last month at an alleged illegal gaming house in Richmond Hill.
On Sept. 19, York Regional Police’s (YRP) Special Enforcement Team (SET), executed a search warrant at a commercial unit at 3-155 West Beaver Creek Dr., near Leslie Street and Highway 7.
There, they allegedly seized a 2018 Mercedes convertible worth $50,000, four poker tables, $53,000 in cash, and two 9mm handguns: one from the business and the other from a suspect’s vehicle.
In total, 18 people were charged with 22 offences.
John Margaronis, 43, and Damien Campbell, 46, both of Toronto, were subsequently charged with keeping a common gaming house.
Margaronis was additionally charged with unauthorized possession of a firearm knowing it is unauthorized and with having a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm or with readily accessible ammunition.
Sixteen others were also charged for being found in a common gaming house.Police did not identify them.
Since June 2023, YRP’s SET has conducted 14 investigations into illegal gaming houses, resulting in charges being laid against 163 people for 210 offences.
Police said they have also seized $14 million worth of drugs, $250,000 of gaming equipment and vehicles, $431,000 in cash, and seven illegal firearms.
“Illegal gaming houses operate in residential and commercial neighborhoods and bring an unwanted criminal element to our community. Illegal gaming fuels organized crime and can lead to other ancillary crimes such as arsons, extortions, loan sharking, shootings and robberies,” they said in a news release issued on Tuesday.
Police ask anyone with additional information to contact them at 1-866-876-5423, ext.7817, or Crime Stoppers anonymously.