Raid on NYC clubs underway right now.

[*TT*]

The police are shutting down private poker clubs tonight in NYC. If you have a friend out in a club call them and tell them to cash out now. One of my friend's spots just got popped, they brought Chanel 11 news - I guess this is the police departs way of saying "we wont be embarrassed again"

As always - no details please unless its already been discussed in the news and we can verify it here, this includes discussions about security. Thanks in advance.

[dregal]

Yeah this seems to be the case. My friend just walked by the one on the left side of town and called to tell me there were cops out in front [img]/images/graemlins/frown.gif[/img]

[GiantBuddha]

This is both unsurprising and sucky.

[mrkilla]

[ QUOTE ]
This is both unsurprising and sucky.

[/ QUOTE ]
recent events most likely prompted all this

[*TT*]

Nothing online at WPIX (Channel 11 News) that I could find. But I did find this odd tidbit at the Daily News.

Echoing the hard-line stance of new NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Eric Mangini has lectured the Jets on the importance of staying on the right side of the law. The coach is trying to build a team of wholesome players, and one player near the top of his list is Jonathan Vilma.

Except for one slip of the tongue - he compared illegal dogfighting to horse racing last week in a radio interview - Vilma has forged a solid reputation on and off the field. The talented linebacker is the latest to shoot a soup commercial with his mother, and what could be more anti-Pacman than that?

"We have a bunch of kids looking up to us," Vilma says. "I remember when I was a kid, looking up to Jerry Rice."

To maintain his image, Vilma says he tries to stay away from potentially troublesome situations. One of his favorite retreats? Poker in Manhattan.

Every week or so, Vilma ventures into the city to play cards in a poker den, a members-only club that attracts celebrities and serious gamblers looking to avoid crowded casinos. More than a year ago, Alex Rodriguez made headlines for frequenting these establishments, where it is legal to play poker but against the law for the house to profit.

Playing poker legally isn't a violation of league policy, according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello. But some might question Vilma's association with the clubs, considering the perception it might create because of the raids and robberies the clubs occasionally face, although he says he doesn't see any downside. He views it as a winning situation - even when he loses.

"They told us to stay out of trouble and that's the best way to stay out of trouble," he says. "I'm inside, I can't get into trouble, I can't get hurt, I'm just playing cards."

Unlike A-Rod, who initially refused to comment on his involvement, Vilma openly discussed his jaunts to poker dens. He says he isn't worried that it will raise questions.

"I would hope not," he says. "Anybody who likes to play poker, if you want to find a good poker game, you're going to go play. It's not anything where I'm betting the house, like $100,000. You go, kick back, have fun, talk to some of the fans, enjoy it. I like playing poker. It's like playing basketball, but you can't do that (because of potential injuries)."

Vilma says he plays when he's bored, heading into Manhattan "maybe once a week, once every two weeks." To him, it's akin to shooting baskets or playing video games at the ESPN Zone.

The Jets weren't particularly expansive when asked to comment on Vilma's poker playing, releasing a statement that said, "We were unaware of this situation. The New York Jets support the league's stance on gambling."

Vilma said the team has addressed the matter with him, but declined to reveal what was said.

Many of the city's poker dens are sleek and inviting, although they're vulnerable to holdups because of the amount of cash on the premises. Thursday night a slick high-end parlor on E. 61st called National CardRoom was knocked off to the tune of $50,000. Making it even more enticing is the fact would-be robbers know the owners of these halls aren't going to call the police because their poker dens are illegal.

And there are the occasional raids - National was busted as recently as 2005 - which would be embarrassing for a professional athlete.

"There's never been an incident when I've been there," says Vilma, who, according to poker sources, is a terrific card player.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/fo...isky_hand.html

[*TT*]

This is a photo of National, which was robbed and raided last week, as shown in the Daily News.

[TiK]

[censored]

[flavio321]

[ QUOTE ]
The police are shutting down private poker clubs tonight in NYC. If you have a friend out in a club call them and tell them to cash out now. One of my friend's spots just got popped, they brought Chanel 11 news - I guess this is the police departs way of saying "we wont be embarrassed again"

As always - no details please unless its already been discussed in the news and we can verify it here, this includes discussions about security. Thanks in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

are they raiding the brooklyn/queens clubs too? or is it just manhattan?
hopefully us smaller clubs slip under the radar, and i have no choice but to keep it open with sign-in buyins...don't the city clubs make enough rake to massage the right people?

[TMTTR]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The police are shutting down private poker clubs tonight in NYC. If you have a friend out in a club call them and tell them to cash out now. One of my friend's spots just got popped, they brought Chanel 11 news - I guess this is the police departs way of saying "we wont be embarrassed again"

As always - no details please unless its already been discussed in the news and we can verify it here, this includes discussions about security. Thanks in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

are they raiding the brooklyn/queens clubs too? or is it just manhattan?


[/ QUOTE ]

Jeez. Why don't you call 911 and ask.

[MicroBob]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
The police are shutting down private poker clubs tonight in NYC. If you have a friend out in a club call them and tell them to cash out now. One of my friend's spots just got popped, they brought Chanel 11 news - I guess this is the police departs way of saying "we wont be embarrassed again"

As always - no details please unless its already been discussed in the news and we can verify it here, this includes discussions about security. Thanks in advance.

[/ QUOTE ]

are they raiding the brooklyn/queens clubs too? or is it just manhattan?
hopefully us smaller clubs slip under the radar, and i have no choice but to keep it open with sign-in buyins...don't the city clubs make enough rake to massage the right people?

[/ QUOTE ]


oh I'm sure you're safe. nothing to worry about.