Key points:
- Authorities seized 1,000 illegal gambling items worth $200m (Colombian currency) in Atlántico and Cesar
- The operation resulted in seven arrests and the potential recovery of $17bn in lost revenue
- Coljuegos has destroyed around 8,317 illegal gambling items to date
In a recent crackdown on illegal gambling operations, authorities in Colombia have seized 1,000 items valued at an estimated $200m (US$46,000).
The joint operation – led by the Attorney General's Office, the National Army's Gaula and Coljuegos – targeted illegal betting activities in Sabanalarga (Atlántico) and Valledupar (Cesar).
Seven individuals were subsequently arrested on charges related to illegal gambling and money laundering.
This operation is the third of its kind in a week, following similar enforcement actions in Antioquia and the Coffee Belt region.
Marco Emilio Hincapié, President of Coljuegos, emphasised the operation's importance in reducing illegal activities that deprive the health sector of resources, stating: “We have dealt a decisive blow to illegals. In the last week alone we carried out control actions in five departments, something never before seen in this state.
“We are complying with the order of our president Gustavo Petro: to strengthen the industry, combat illegality and increase resources for health.”
Good to know: All confiscated equipment will undergo administrative procedures before being destroyed to ensure they cannot be reused for illegal activities
In Sabanalarga, 841 items – including computers, monitors and ticket machines – were confiscated from a commercial establishment facilitating unauthorised betting. The seized equipment was valued at $114m, with the illegal operation resulting in annual losses of $8.176bn to state revenues.
Meanwhile, in Valledupar, authorities seized 159 items used for unlicensed online betting, costing the health sector an estimated $8.82bn annually.
Under the current administration, Coljuegos has seized over 4,500 slot machines and online betting modules in total, destroying around 8,317 illegal items to date.
