Land Of The Free?

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Published: Tuesday, September 25, 2007 mgowanbo.cc

Astonishing confiscations but no explanations by Mississippi gaming authorities

Mississippi Gaming Commission authorities have reportedly been active in raiding Internet cafes in the state, confiscating large numbers of computers - thus directly damaging business - astonishingly without having to inform the owners why!

Reporting on the activity, the regional newspaper Commercial Despatch is as puzzled as we are and can only guess that the raids have something to do with Internet gambling, although officials aren't saying.

In the latest raid, up to 40 computers were seized from an Internet Cafe in downtown West Point, causing it to shut down CD reports. But MGC officials remained "tight-lipped" about whether or not there were accusations that the business was being used for Internet gambling.

“I never said that they were participating in Internet gambling,” Eddie Williams, MGC deputy director told the Commercial Despatch reporter.

The MGC official went on to claim that the Commission is acting against businesses offering what he called "illegal gambling machines", saying: “There's numerous places all over Mississippi that have illegal gambling machines,” and noting that similar seizures by the MGC are "not uncommon."

The official also advised the reporter that Internet gambling is a felony offense in Mississippi.

Williams said the agency acts primarily on complaints rather than actively seeking out offenders. The agency normally relies on local law enforcement and citizens to bring attention to illegal gambling.

Court officials were similarly not forthcoming with information on the reason for the confiscation when approached by the newspaper. Clay County Justice Court officials advised that the MGC was trying to present a case to the Grand Jury and opined that this may be the reason.

“They're trying to present (the case) to the grand jury,” Harriet Bragg, a Clay County Justice Court clerk said. “That's why they're being so secretive.”

The case has apparently been assigned to Justice Court rather than Municipal Court even though the business concerned is located within city limits. There is speculation that the case may come before the Grand Jury as soon as next week, but in the meantime no additional information about the case will be publicly available until Grand Jury proceedings allow it.

In the meantime, MGC agents have declined to release information on any crime which they may be investigating involving the Internet Cafe nor what led them to the establishment.