By Park Si-soo
Staff Reporter
Police apprehended a group of housewives Tuesday for illegal gambling at an unauthorized gambling house run by gangsters who had reaped an estimated 2.8 billion won ($2.1 million) in illegal gains over the past three months through the business.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency nabbed 19 members of a Seoul-based organized crime group who operated an illegal casino in Jangan-dong, eastern Seoul, and 29 housewives who were playing baccarat there.
Arrest warrants were sought for four habitual gamblers and five key operators of the house, police also said, adding that two others now on the run were also wanted.
According to police, the gambling house was disguised as a small firm and attracted nearly 150 housewives, most of whom showed up in the belief that baccarat had more favorable odds than other games, a police officer said. ``The minimum bet per turn was set at one million won,'' the officer said.
Police confiscated 71 million won in cash at the scene and four CCTVs used to monitor the casino exterior.
The owner of the casino, identified as Yoon, 41, hired veteran dealers, including a 31-year-old woman who'd worked as a dealer at a top-rated hotel for more than 10 years.