UPDATE: Arrests made in Bibb County gambling raids

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – UPDATE: Bibb County sheriff’s deputies arrested four people in connection with a massive gambling raid.
 
Investigators say Hardeep Kaur is charged with commercial gambling. Harpreet Kaur is charged with violation of the Georgia Rico Act, commercial gambling, and records and reports of certain currency transactions. Krunal Patel is charged with violation of the Georgia Rico Act, commercial gambling, and records and reports of certain currency transactions. Vinod Patel is charged with commercial gambling.

Krunal Patel, Harpreet Kaur, and Hardeep Kaur were arrested at a home on Southern Oaks Drive in Macon. Vinod Patel was arrested at Bateman & Wade Grocery on Clayton Street.

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Several Macon convenience stores were shut down following a massive gambling raid, Wednesday.

GBI agents, the Bibb County Sheriff’s Office’s Special Investigation Unit, and the Macon Circuit district attorney’s office investigators served 11 warrants during the simultaneous gambling raids. Customers playing gaming machines at the locations were receiving cash for credits and are only suppose to receive lottery tickets or store merchandise.

Warrants were served at 10 gas stations and convenient stores. The last one was at a house on Southern Oaks Drive.

The GBI froze bank accounts, and seized cars along with the real estate including the stores.

A locksmith was called out to change the locks on the doors.

Bibb County Sheriff David Davis says his drug and vice unit went undercover during the investigation.

“On the street level our people watched to see, what kind of illegal pay out are going on or if anybody has been victimized by these scrupulous activities,” said Davis.

Sheriff Davis says agents did not remove the gambling machines because they are legal. However, the Georgia Lottery Corporation assisted the GBI in tracking money illegally gained from using the machines.

The sheriff added, working with the GBI, Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Macon Circuit District Attorney’s office was beneficial in obtaining arrest warrants.

“They know how to bring the investigative techniques, and the technology needed in this type of investigation,” said Davis.

Locations where warrants were issued include:

– Reliance Food Mart, 3609 Pio Nono Avenue
– Lu Lu’s Lottery Store, 3253 Mercer University Drive
– Reliance Food Mart, 3590 Napier Avenue
– Food Mart, 4381 Mercer University Drive
– Quick Serve, 584 Emery Highway
– Sunoco, 2440 Shurling Drive
– Bateman & Wade Grocery, 2283 Clayton Street
– Shell, 1585 Forest Hill Road
– Market Place, 4515 Hartley Bridge Road
– Quick Serve, 2260 Shurling Drive
– Residence at 423 Southern Oaks Drive

Arrest warrants have been issued for felony counts of Commercial Gambling for the following individuals:

– Krunal Patel, 38-years-old
– Shuken Patel, 29-years-old
– Navpreet Kaur, 38-years-old
– Harpreet Kaur, 40-years-old

Check back with 41NBC.com for more on this developing story.