A circulation in this regard was dispatched to all the casinos last week, requiring them to submit the details within 10 days.[break]
However, none of the casinos have submitted the identification details till late Wednesday, according to DSP Chakra Bahadur Singh, spokesperson at Metropolitan Police Range Office (MPRO).
Many casinos, a police official admitted, provide their regular customers with employee identity cards, whereas those flush with money are given cards that identify them as owners. So unless we get complaints against them, it is difficult for us to take actions against them, the official added.
According to the police sources, some highly placed police officers, loaded political cadres and gangsters supply money to Nepali gamblers at different casinos. Such investors deploy agents and gangs to provide Nepali gamblers up to Rs 10 million.
If a gambler wins, the money is taken back along with the high rate of interest on the spot. But if he loses the money, the investors issue threats and use hooligans until they get their money back. Police officials say hundreds of desperate gamblers have been living an underground life after failing to pay off such gambling debts.
According to sources, Akash Shrestha of Sindhuli is one of the main lenders at the Everest Casino, whereas Sanjeev Lama aka Syal and Bisnu Lama supply money to gamblers at Casino Royal. Similarly, Dawa Lama funds the gamblers at Casino Sangrila, Arun Sendhai and Ajay Shrestha at Casino Rad, Sovit Silwal at Casino Venus and Ganesh Lama and Sanjeev Lama at Casino Anna.
Nabin Kumar Ghimire, secretary at Ministry of Home Affairs, said, “We have asked the Ministry of Tourism and the Ministry of Local Development to begin the process to restrict the entry of Nepalis into casinos.”
An officer at the MPRO said that the police frequently conduct raids at casinos to arrest Nepali gamblers, but it is hard to arrest those who produce staff identity cards.
But the newly launched campaign, he said, would curb the entry of Nepalese gamblers.
AIG Navaraj Dhakal, commissioner at the Metropolitan Police Commissioner´s Office (MPCO), said, “I have instructed MPRO Chief SSP Rana Bahadur Chand to crack down on casinos by deploying policemen in plainclothes round the clock.”
SSP Chanda said, “We will start taking actions after we get the details about employees and owners of casinos.”
The casinos that are found flouting the rules would be locked, he added.
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