FRI. - Police busted a cyber cafe cum mini casino operating from the upper floor of a double-storey shoplot in Taman Kok Lian, off Jalan Ipoh, last night.

They arrested 29 people and seized chips in denominations of RM50, RM100, RM500 and RM1,000 besides betting slips with stakes running up to several thousand ringgit.

Eight computers installed with gambling software, mahjong tiles and gambling tables were also seized in the two-hour operation.

The raiding party also seized about RM2,600 in cash from one of the tables.

The newly-renovated shoplot has three rooms - two "VIP rooms" and the other for regular gamblers.

At one section of the shoplot was a partition where eight computers fitted with gambling software were placed.

There was also a lounge with a television set and sofas for gamblers to wait if the rooms and the computers were already taken. While waiting, they could also buy alcoholic beverages from the counter.

There was an automatic door at the entrance which could only be opened from the inside.

It is learnt that police had already placed one of their men inside the casino before the raid last night.

The gamblers were caught red-handed as the operator had no time to clear the place when the police party arrived at the door.

"This was a regular casino with a cybercafe as the front," said city anti-vice and gaming chief DSP Abdul Halim Yahya who led the 10-man raiding party.

Police also believe the casino has been operating for about a week before last night�s raid.

The gambling sessions were believed to begin at 6pm daily until the wee hours of the next morning.

The operators had placed lookouts on the ground floor late at night when raids are usually conducted but when the police party arrived at 8.30 last night, the lookouts had yet to start work.

Until Press time, all 29 who were arrested were still being questioned and having their statements recorded at the city police headquarters.

Police are trying to establish who is behind the operations of the mini casino.