In a nearly two-year-long operation law enforcement in Florida has dismantled a sprawling illegal gaming network. Dubbed Operation Fish & Chips, the investigation resulted in 12 arrests and one of the largest property seizures in the agency’s history.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) Vice Unit teamed up with state and federal partners in this operation.
From March 2023 through December 2024, detectives identified illegal gaming locations across Jacksonville and arrested those profiting from these operations.
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On December 11, law enforcement executed seven simultaneous search warrants, capturing key individuals involved in the illicit activities.
The operation led to the confiscation of millions of dollars in assets tied to illegal gaming. Among the seized items were 263 illegal gambling devices, including slot machines, fish tables, and desktop computers. Additionally, authorities recovered $2.5 million in cash, $1.2 million in luxury items such as jewelry, watches, and designer purses, as well as 15 vehicles and a trailer valued at nearly $1.7 million. Other seized assets included 52 firearms, two houses, and one commercial building.
JSO underscored that the operation aimed to address more than the illegal businesses themselves. These sites often become hubs for violent activity.
“Where there is illegal business, there is violence,” JSO said in a statement. “Shutting these locations down removes one accelerant that fuels violence in our community.”
During the timeframe of Operation Fish & Chips, illegal gaming locations in Duval County were linked to two homicides, eight robberies, and 26 aggravated assaults. Officials emphasized that removing these operations helps curb the violence fueled by illegal enterprises.
JSO credited the success of Operation Fish & Chips to collaboration with several state and federal agencies.
Partners in the operation included the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution, the Florida Gaming Control Commission, the United States Secret Service, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Together, these agencies played a critical role in the crackdown.
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