Southern California Chinese organize a mahjong game at home

Local police in Monterey Park—a Southern California city known as “Little Taipei” due to its large Chinese population—raided an illegal gambling den operated by Chinese individuals. The operation was concealed within a private residence, where officers discovered multiple mahjong tables, a large amount of cash, and drug paraphernalia. A Chinese-American attorney noted that such mahjong dens are “common” in Chinese communities.

According to Los Angeles County Superior Court records exclusively obtained by this newspaper, officers from the Monterey Park Police Department raided a home on South Orange Avenue on August 28 following an anonymous tip. Police stated they had received numerous reports and complaints regarding illegal gambling and large-scale cash transactions at the property. Over the past year, the Monterey Park Police Department and other law enforcement agencies had previously visited the residence to investigate reports of illegal gambling.