Police at British Military Base Abolishes Illegal Gambling in Areas Under Cyprus’ Jurisdiction

A four-year campaign against illegal gambling has been successfully wrapped up by the Police at a British military base in Cyprus. They shut down nine casinos that operated within their jurisdiction.

Superintendent Dinos Petrou said that the casinos generated hundreds of thousands of euros annually in illegal proceeds. Ten people received prison sentences, while 30 others were fined heavily.

Petrou said, many of the casinos were built in areas adjacent or partly falling within Cyprus‘ jurisdiction and that complicated matters. To circumvent that, base police carried out raids together with Cypriot law enforcement.

Petrou said police will remain vigilant against any resurgence of illegal gambling and that there would be no-let up in prosecuting law-breakers even after Britain’s departure from the European Union.

He also said that 30 of the 1500 personal computers seized during the police operations have been donated to local schools.