Over K200 million ($200,000) has been seized in 3,206 arrests and raids associated with gambling in Yangon region over the last three years, an official from Yangon regional police headquarters said.
The seized cash has been added into the state treasury and the crackdown against illegal gambling will be intensified, police said.
Over K90 million has been seized in 1,242 cases while 1,922 suspects were sent to the court in 2012. In 2013, the police uncovered 1,056 gambling activities, seized K68 million and arrested 2,045 people while the police seized over K48 million and arrested 1,885 people in 908 cases in 2014.
“We will step up the investigation and raids on gambling activities in Yangon region along with other regions and states in 2015. We also urge the public to report to officials if they have knowledge of gambling activities such as the locations of bookies,” said an officer from Yangon region police headquarters who asked not to be named as he is not authorised to discuss the issue.
The cases the police uncovered mostly involve playing cards, football bets and illegal street lotteries.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, 215 gambling cases were uncovered across the country in January this year in which Naypyitaw accounted for most cases with 83 arrests followed by Yangon with 81 cases, Bago with 42 and Mandalay with 26 cases.
