Behind these stone walls and through the iron gates of this two-and-a half-acre property north
of Toronto is a $9 million mansion used as a full-service black market luxury
casino — like something right out of a James Bond movie. The Mob Reporter here with news that the
COVID-19 restrictions that shut down licensed casinos gave a huge boost to illegal gambling
and gangsters really stepped up to the plate. York Regional Police raided this 53-room, 20,000 square
foot mansion running an illegal full-service casino for wealthy gamblers in Markham, Canada.
Guard dogs and armed security patrolled the grounds.
Inside, underneath the cathedral ceilings, was a playground for the rich, primarily Chinese,
gamblers. In the walk-out basement was a casino with professional-grade gaming tables
specializing in baccarat, mahjong, and slot machines.
Gaming was underway at the time of the raid and gamblers were forced to leave
expensive drinks behind at the utterly unregulated tables with extremely high
bedding limits. The rooms of the main floor revealed V.I.P. gaming tables, a full-service
spa, and a massive chef's kitchen, with a menu offering delicacies such as
deer sinew soup, braised bird's nest, wild boar tripe, and contraband items such as whole shark's
fin. The bar and wine cellars were impressive, to say the least. More than and a half million
dollars worth of top-shelf liquor and premium wine were on site, more than four thousand bottles.
In a security room on that floor were nine guns, including a monstrously hefty .50-caliber Desert
Eagle pistol in gleaming silver, prohibited high-capacity magazines and several thousand
rounds of ammunition. What was found on the top floor, though, is probably the most intriguing.
A loaded AR-15 assault rifle was sitting out on a desk in the master bedroom.
The desk was in front of a large window overlooking the front of the property
conjuring a distinctive "Scarface" vibe. There was a loaded nine-millimeter Glock beside the bed.
Across the hall from the master bedroom were two large gun safes.
One was empty. Inside the other was more than a million dollars in bundled Canadian cash.
It takes a lot of cash to front the float and spot the clients who need to keep gambling,
always gambling, like sharks that can never stop swimming. There were also multiple other bedrooms
apparently acting as bed-and-breakfast accommodation. Officers suspect there were
sex services and human trafficking involved, which is still under investigation.
Now, this raid actually took place on July 29, 2020, but was not publicly revealed until this week.
York cop said that an earlier raid was called off at the last minute when aerial
surveillance spotted half a dozen children being served by staff on the mansion's patio.
About 30 people were arrested, including the 52-year-old alleged owner of the operation,
his 48-year-old wife, and his 25-year-old daughter.
Underground gambling dens are booming during COVID-19 in Ontario
because the government license facilities were closed under coronavirus restrictions.
Now, most of the illegal gambling isn't as plush and luxurious as this one.
Other related raids were on grungy basements in places that should be condemned, and catered to
degenerate gamblers who were fed amphetamines to keep them at the video gaming terminals.
That's not nearly as appealing an image as a single-malt Scotch and an $800 plate of braised
sea cucumber and abalone. We know which one James Bond would have chosen. Thanks for watching.