PETER BOYLAN / PBOYLAN @STARADVERTISER.COM Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan spoke during a news conference at HPD headquarters on Friday, warning some property owners of possible forfeiture or criminal charges.
PETER BOYLAN / PBOYLAN @STARADVERTISER.COM Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan spoke during a news conference at HPD headquarters on Friday, warning some property owners of possible forfeiture or criminal charges.
Over the past two weeks, Honolulu police and Homeland Security Investigations agents have issued more than 60 notices to Oahu property owners who must clean up illegal gaming rooms or face criminal charges and asset forfeiture.
In July 2023, HSI issued notices to property owners hosting illegal gaming rooms, resulting in approximately 62 properties being cleared and the criminal activity relocated, federal officials said.
Honolulu Police Chief Arthur “Joe” Logan, speaking to reporters at Honolulu Police Headquarters, said the notices were delivered to property owners where “we believe there is illegal activity taking place” in Kalihi, Waianae and other neighborhoods of Oahu.
The notices are part of a joint federal and provincial effort to close the approximately 120 gaming rooms on Oahu.
Logan said there are “imminent” additional warnings.
“Illegal gaming rooms negatively impact entire neighborhoods and the quality of life of the families who live there,” Logan said. “Gaming rooms attract criminals and illegal activities. Shootings and robberies have occurred in and near these establishments. Drug use and sales are also common. We hope this joint operation will send a strong message to property owners and their agents. If they turn a blind eye, they risk losing their property.”
In 2023, HPD officers made 200 gambling arrests, 108 for operating, promoting or supporting gambling and 92 for gambling equipment violations.
Illegal gaming rooms operate from homes, businesses, vacant office spaces and other private commercial spaces. They offer all kinds of gambling games, including digital competitions such as ‘Fish Hunter’ and ‘Pot of Gold’ that allow users to earn cash prizes, card games, dice and other forms of casino games.
Law enforcement officials are prioritizing the gaming rooms they go after and pursuing lawsuits against property owners and operators.
Playrooms near schools, churches or anywhere children learn or play come first. Using a mix of informants and undercover agents, infiltrating an illegal gambling den and gathering the evidence needed to build cases can take anywhere from two to three weeks to up to four months.
HPD’s Narcotics Vice Division has approximately 10 officers assigned to target and take down illegal gaming rooms.
HSI Acting Special Agent in Charge Lucia Cabral-DeArmas said the notices to property owners were both a warning and an opportunity to educate them about the law.
“These illegal gaming rooms generate a lot of money. We’re talking $1 million a year and that’s very conservative. That million dollars is not spent on our keiki after-school activities or on anything positive for the community. It is used to continue their illegal enterprise of purchasing weapons and narcotics and continues to be a nuisance to our community,” Cabral-DeArmas said. “We live in these communities. We care about these communities. If it is not cleaned up, we will have to take action.”
HSI Group Supervisor James Beagle said after a notice is issued, property owners will have the opportunity to contact federal agents and law enforcement to discuss next steps.
“We ask them to contact us. We ask them questions about who they rent properties to, things like that. We are looking to communicate with those property owners and we are willing to work with them,” Beagle said.
There is no set timetable for compliance, each case is different, and federal agents and law enforcement will engage the property owner in a conversation about the best way to eliminate illegal operators.
Maj. Mike Lambert, who oversees HPD’s Narcotics Vice Division, said the owners and operators of illegal gaming rooms cover the “full spectrum” of criminals.
“You have the type of businessman who usually does nothing other than want to make a profit,” Lambert said. “They see it as an opportunity to profit from illegal gambling, up to and including outright organized crime. And of course that spectrum is extremely worrying for the community because with organized crime you’re talking about drug trafficking, arms trafficking and then, as we saw in Wahiawa, when there is competition for security, they try to rob each other and that can be fatal .”
Alize Ou was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder and three firearms-related charges.
You reportedly shot Christopher Miyose and shot Travis Key. On May 16, just after 9:30 p.m., three men entered an illegal gambling room at a Wahiawa home as part of an attempted robbery.
All three men, aged 31, 22 and 29, were allegedly shot by Ou.
Law enforcement officials are taking advantage of a new state law that increases penalties for people who promote gambling activities.
On July 9, Governor Josh Green signed Act 249 into law that expands the scope of gambling promotion to include forms of material assistance, such as maintaining equipment and managing financial transactions.
Hawaii and Utah are the only two states in the country that ban all forms of gambling.
Law 249 emphasizes the responsibility of landlords and property owners who may knowingly or unknowingly host illegal gambling activities on their premises.
Also in July, the Honolulu City Council created a city-led gambling task force consisting of HPD, the city’s departments of Attorney General, Planning and Permitting, corporate counsel, the Office of Council Services and the City Council.
The task force will “advise and assist the Council in identifying and developing solutions to combat the continued proliferation of illegal gaming room operations in the city,” according to the resolution that created the task force.
Honolulu Deputy District Attorney Gabriel Huntington said the warnings are important because “they serve as notice.”
“People who receive this notice may be subject to asset forfeiture… nuisance lawsuits, or under the new Act 249 they may also be subject to criminal prosecution.”
Logan asked the public to serve as the “eyes and ears” for law enforcement in Oahu’s communities.
“They (illegal gaming rooms) are in your neighborhood, in your business communities, so we’re asking for your help identifying them,” Logan said. “We’re not done yet… If you have an illegal gaming room on your property and you haven’t been warned, don’t worry, it’s just a matter of time.” – Report Crime If you have information about illegal gaming rooms, contact: – Phone: 808-723-3933 or CrimeStoppers at 808-955-8300 – Online: Leave a tip at HonoluluCrimeStoppers.org Tipsters can remain anonymous.
