More on the Aces raid
Some basics trickling in: Raid went down about 9 pm. Aces was in the middle of an 8-table tourney … with a few tables of cash games and sit-n-go’s running. About 10 people got carted away in handcuffs — dealers and room operators — and close to 70 or 80 players (# not confirmed) got $125 $150 $145 tickets. And there were two sets of cameras … one belonging to the show “Dallas SWAT” (on A&E), the other apperently the DPD’s own video equipment.
So to some extent, poker’s popularity on TV had much to do with this bust, as it will certainly be a ratings boon for the Dallas PD’s prize new show. Raises an interesting 21st Century question … about law enforcement driving TV vs. TV driving law enforcement.
Meanwhile, Dallas poker players are left wondering if they’ll receive 17 emails from Aces tomorrow telling us how hot the action is.
UPDATE: $40k reportedly got confiscated.
ItsOverJonny says:
June 25th, 2006 at 12:00am
True story. I was there during the raid, and the dealer and one player at my table got particularly mouthy with the officers and SWAT members. One of the Dallas SWAT producers with the “Film Crew” t-shirts on got really pissed when both the mouthy dealer and the player refused to sign the release to allow them to use the footage on the TV show.
Ed says:
June 25th, 2006 at 1:54am
Now that is funny stuff. Always wondered how that worked. Can they still show the footage but blur out the guys that did not sign the release?
Ed
itsoverjonny says:
June 25th, 2006 at 3:47am
That is correct. Apparently my performance wasn’t good enough for TV, because I wasn’t asked to sign a release. So we will all have our faces blurred out while the SWAT Team members in helmets, full combat gear, M-16’s, and armored vehicles celebrate their decisive victory over a loathsome group of poker players. “The world is a safer place tonight, boys. We have rid Dallas of an evil poker room!”
Aces says:
June 25th, 2006 at 6:44pm
Apparently, we have taken the lead as the softest 1-2 game in town.
Anyone have an idea if we could the cops on A&E for trespassing? They followed swat in and weren’t invited. I am sure SWAT had a warrant but can a civilan be added.
Marty R. says:
June 26th, 2006 at 11:48am
This is just sick! We have Lotto, Bingo and horse racing, which are all just luck, but we can’t play a game of skill? Aces was a clean, well-run club in a prime location. And if anyone thinks the confiscated money is “safe”, think again. I have first-hand knowledge of property room shenanigans.
Marty R. says:
June 26th, 2006 at 11:52am
A word to Aces: While your case is pending and before trial, someone needs to check, at the very least, once every 2 weeks on the cash being held in the property room. Cash has a way of disappearing from there and once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Woo Lin says:
June 26th, 2006 at 1:53pm
I am a dealer at Winstar and I heard some high executives talking about the bust in Dallas and calling it a great success.
CJ says:
June 26th, 2006 at 2:43pm
As a member of the media, I can tell you that the media is not allowed on private property even if invited by law enforcement. However, since there were already 70-80 people inside already, the public nature of the event may make it harder to argue tresspassing. Worth a try, though!