5 arrested in illegal video game raid

Miami-Dade Police shut down 'maquinitas' operation after year-long investigation

MIAMI – Miami-Dade police raided a suspected illegal video gaming operation Wednesday following a year-long undercover investigation.

Several of the gaming machines, also known as maquinitas, were seized in a back room at the Minimarket, located at 3021 SW 107th Ave.

The store owner, Jesus Adreu, three of his employees and his wife, Odaylis Adreu, were arrested on felony charges. The charges include keeping a house of gambling prohibitive, coin operated machines and book making.

Police said Jesus Adreu was arrested twice before for running an illegal maquinita. He owns Abreu Sports Amusement Corp., a video gaming machine manufacturing business.

All five arrested during Wednesday's raid are locked up in the Miami-Dade County Jail and are expected to appear in bond court Thursday morning.

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The machines were impounded and the minimarket was shut down.

Some customers were playing at the machines during raid, but none of those customers were arrested.

In order to crack down on illegal gaming, Gov. Rick Scott signed legislation in April outlawing and banning video gaming machines that feed a billion-dollar a year industry in internet cafes, senior arcades and maquinitas in Florida.