Costa Rica Linked to Gambling Bust: More Arrests Likely
(Gambling911.com) - Lucrative drug smuggling and gambling rings have been busted, leading to 17 arrests and the seizure of us$1 million, authorities said Wednesday.

Fourteen people were arrested on charges of promoting gambling, and three were arrested on charges of conspiracy to possess marijuana, Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota said.

"Surveillance ... established that the gambling ring took in an average of us$165,000 a week in bets," Spota said.

The bookmaking operation focused on professional and collegiate sports and involved electronic transfers to Costa Rica, generating us$8.6 million a year, he said.

The drug investigation sprung out of the gambling probe while investigators were conducting surveillance.

Four men were trying to buy 100 pounds of pot for us$300,000 in California when the plot was thwarted, investigators said.

Police started arresting the 16 men and one woman last month. They have been released and are scheduled to be arraigned in March.

One man, an attorney from Freeport, has eluded arrest on a conspiracy charge and was being sought, prosecutors said.

More arrests in the case are expected.