Two people have been charged in connection with an “illegal gaming house” that was operating in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, according to police. The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of B.C. said officers seized gambling tables, roughly 145 kilograms of illegal cigarettes, and approximately $240,000 in cash while executing multiple search warrants in Burnaby and Vancouver. All proceeds and equipment related to illicit gaming were “forfeited to the province of British Columbia,” the policing unit said in a news release Thursday. The crackdown began in March 2023, headed by the CFSEU-BC’s Joint Illegal Gaming Investigation Team, and charges were approved last week. Burnaby resident Shahrouz Younesi, 54, and Vancouver resident Xiaoyi “Karen” Zhang, 46, are both charged with keeping a common gaming house. Younesi is also facing one count of selling unstamped tobacco products. The years-long investigation was conducted with support from the Vancouver Police Department, Burnaby RCMP, Integrated Emergency Response Team, the Canada Revenue Agency and B.C.’s Ministry of Finance, authorities said. “This investigation highlights the scale and complexity of illegal gaming operations the significant resources required to disrupt them,” said CFSEU-BC spokesperson Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha, in a statement. “The resulting charges, seizures and forfeitures reflect the dedication of our investigators and the strength of our partnerships.”
