RANAU: A 51-year-old man was fined RM1,700, with one month’s imprisonment in default of payment, after he was found in possession of a slip containing four-digit numbers suspected to be linked to an unlicensed public lottery.
Imran @ Mohd Imran bin Misim, from Kampung Lohan Satu, Ranau, was charged under Section 9(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
The offence took place at about 4.45pm on Sept 13, 2024, near the staircase of Block C, Bangunan Koisaan, Pekan Ranau.
According to the case facts, police detained Imran at the location after receiving information about suspected illegal lottery activities.
A police team conducted an operation at the location and detained the accused after finding him in suspicious circumstances.
Police subsequently seized several items believed to be linked to the suspected illegal lottery activity, including a small blue plastic sheet, a piece of paper printed with four-digit numbers and RM25 in cash.
The case facts stated that police identified themselves and informed the man of the purpose of their presence before requesting his identification documents.
Further investigations were carried out on the seized items, including an examination by a gambling expert.
The examination found that the paper contained records of number bets involving a suspected 10,000-character unlicensed public lottery.
Based on the investigation and expert findings, the authorities classified the accused as being in possession of a ticket or record associated with an unlicensed public lottery.
The prosecution subsequently charged Imran under Section 9(1) of the Common Gaming Houses Act 1953.
The provision makes it an offence to possess a ticket or other item associated with an illegal public lottery without the required licence.
The court imposed a RM1,700 fine, with a one-month jail term in default of payment.
The case highlights continued enforcement efforts against unlicensed lottery activities in Ranau, with police relying on information received from the public to identify suspected gambling activities.
Police have consistently urged members of the public to provide information on suspected illegal gambling activities to assist enforcement efforts.
In this case, the investigation began with police action at the location, followed by examination of the seized materials, which eventually led to the charge against the accused.
