In their ongoing efforts to combat business fronts running illegal gambling, San Jose police on Thursday announced their most recent crackdown resulted in five arrests, the seizure of 64 video gaming machines and about $355,000 in cash.

Over the past few months, San Jose police and other law enforcement agencies focused their efforts on multiple businesses suspected of illegal gambling operations. One of the businesses had a store front promoting itself as a computer repair business, while another was a hair and nail salon, according to police Lt. Paul Messier.

“When you get inside these businesses and get past the partitions, they are full-blown gambling operations,” Messier said.

Over the past year, San Jose has experienced an increase in crime surrounding businesses that house illegal gaming operations, police said. The most recent crackdown was a response to complaints from residents and businesses and to a series of calls for service ranging from quality of life issues to violent crimes such as robberies and assaults connected to them.

Police said many of the businesses targeted “have had a particularly adverse impact on San Jose’s Vietnamese community.”

The most recent sweep happened last week when officers from the California Department of Justice served search warrants in the 900 block of Story Road and the 2000 block of Million Court, and a penal code inspection in the 2000 block of Monterey Road.

The Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control seized 13 illegal gambling devices and $280,566.00 in cash, which police believe to be proceeds from the games. Those cases remain under active investigation, and the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office is still evaluating charges, Messier said.

Earlier this year, San Jose police targeted five businesses in various locations across the city, including the 2100 block of Morrill Avenue, the 100 Block of Senter Road, the 1700 block of McKee Road, the 90th block of N.14th Street and the 2600 block of Cropley Avenue.

At those locations, 51 gambling machines, about $75,000 in cash was seized and five business owners and employees were arrested on suspicion of possession of illegal gambling machines and other gambling-related offenses.

“We’ve had a positive impact in the communities by taking down these establishments, and we have gotten long prison sentences for the individuals involved” in violent crimes associated to the illegal operations, Messier said.

San Jose police have launched similar sweeps over the past several years and plan to continue those efforts. Messier said that when police take down an illegal gambling operations, new ones pop up.

“I feel like we are making a positive impact on the problem, even though it does re-occur,” Messier said. “We will continue to use whatever resources are available and send the message we will not illegal gambling in the city of San Jose.”