In March, customs officers uncovered an organised criminal group operating illegal gambling establishments in Brno, involving the search of 17 properties and 12 arrests, as announced on the customs agency website today.
Officers also seized 27 gambling machines, CZK 1 million, jewels worth nearly CZK 5 million, and a motorcycle and car worth CZK 500,000.
Police charged the detainees, and two were remanded in custody.
According to customs officers, the organised gang operated, organised and mediated gambling on slot machines without a permit at several locations in Brno from at least December 2022 to March 2025, under the guise of betting shops.
“The main actors took care of technical and contractual matters and decided on the admission of new members to the group,” the customs agency reported. “The middle links provided operational matters in the gambling rooms and the lowest link were the attendants there. They filtered the players on entry.”
The officers targeted the group as early as 2023, when they seized 23 gaming machines. However, the suspects resumed operation in some of the establishments, and expanded the gambling network and their group. If convicted, the perpetrators face up to 12 years in prison.
Slot machines are banned in Brno.
