India: gamblers detained in hotel trying to dispose cash

• Police in the State of Odisha, India, conducted an operation against illegal gambling
• Nine people were detained after gambling in a hotel room, with some allegedly trying to dispose of cash by flushing it in a toilet
• The State of Odisha recently eased the punishment for illegal gambling, introducing monetary penalties instead of imprisonment

Nearly a dozen people were caught gambling in a hotel room located in the fifth-largest city in the State of Odisha, India.

The police raid shocked the suspects, who had been gambling for hours and some even tried to dispose of money by attempting to flush it down a toilet.

Nine suspects detained after operation against illegal gambling in Sambalpur district

The police operation dates to Saturday when officers with the Dhanupali police conducted a raid in Odisha's Sambalpur district.

Law enforcement acted on a tip received earlier and prior to the raid, and conducted surveillance.

Raiding the hotel room, police uncovered a total of nine suspects, all of whom reportedly had previous gambling records, as announced by Deccan Chronicle.

While the suspects were gambling, they ordered food to be delivered to their room, actions that raised suspicion about whether or not the hotel was aware of the gambling session.

Police questioned the hotel owner, who denied knowing anything about the gamblers.

Besides being oblivious to the guests' actions, the hotel owner said they didn't benefit from commission.

Still, officers with the Dhanupali police continue their investigation in order to determine whether the case is related to a larger illegal gambling network.

It is also unclear how the hotel permitted nine individuals to occupy a single room and whether or not this has happened in the past or this is a first-time incident.

As noted, inside the hotel room, law enforcement found and detained nine individuals who were gambling.

Some Rs 6 lakh in cash, or approximately $6,700, was found on site and seized.

When police were breaking in, some gamblers reportedly tried to throw money into the toilet and flush it. However, law enforcement acted quickly and recovered the money the gamblers tried to dispose of.

Early in December, lawmakers in the State of Odisha removed imprisonment as a penalty for gambling-related offenses.

Instead, suspects facing gambling-related charges can receive fines.

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