Providence Police raid two businesses in illegal gambling bust

By Jennifer Petracca

news@abc6.com

After a month-long investigation, Providence Police Detectives raided two businesses in South Providence after they were accused of illegally selling bets for the Dominican Republic‘s national lottery.

Mian Beauty Salon and Cibao Multiservices, both on Broad Street, were raided Thursday, accused of collecting gambling money without paying taxes. In each establishment detectives found laptops set up with the Dominican Lottery numbers and equipment to print tickets.

Major David Lapatin of Providence Police told ABC6 that stacks of cash that were ready for pick-up by winners were seized as well as gambling slips. At Cibao Mutliservices, a money order business, officers seized $848 in cash that was saved for lottery winners and $3,341 in a drawer. At Mian Beauty Salon, officers seized $1,365 cash, as well as three printing machines.

27-year-old Neubery Rodriguez, an employee at Cibao, was arrested and charged with prohibited gambling, as well as 41-year-old Maria Rodriguez, owner of Mian Beauty Salon.

These arrests were the first for the department’s new organized crime and intelligence unit.

© WLNE-TV 2015