Surat: An ambulance with a beeping siren left many residents of Kosad Aawas (housing scheme) surprised on Monday as they were expecting cops and not doctors to get rid of the gambling menace.
It was only after some time that they got to know that the people in the ambulance were none other than cops of the state monitoring cell (SMC) which had to carry out a clandestine operation to nab gamblers.
The locals had been complaining about rampant gambling near their society to the Amroli police. But these were reportedly not redressed.
The SMC team decided to hire an ambulance to raid the den so that the gamblers did not get any inkling that cops would strike.
When the cops raided, 10 people were found gambling on cards and coins in Kosad Aawas H-3 building. While five of them fled, as many managed to escape from the spot.
The SMC team seized Rs 25,150 cash, six mobiles, a money-counting machine, and playing cards from the spot. Police arrested Sunil Patel, Kirt Patel, Shafiq Patel, Tausif Patel, and Zuber Shaikh. Those who fled were Asif Patel, Sohel Patel, Bashir Patel, and two other unidentified men.
Sources told TOI that the gambling den operators would keep a watch around the locality with their men. “We thought of a plan to raid in such a way that none doubts us even if we are in good numbers,’’ an official said.
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