Late Wednesday night, for the first time in several years, HPD’s Vice Division raided a large gambling operation.

After an undercover investigation that took more than a month, vice detectives and HPD SWAT surrounded a building in southwest Houston. HPD said SWAT was needed because the building was secure and guarded by a private security firm.

Once inside, investigators found dozens of people allegedly playing the popular poker game Texas Hold’em. This is a game that is legal in Texas, unless the house is taking a cut.

HPD told 11 News at the scene that the people running this gambling operation was taking a cut to the tune of at least $10,000 a night.

The gambling room had 14 poker tables, some of them with cards and poker chips.

Officers spent more than an hour counting and seizing cash.

Dozens of people inside were not arrested but were handed subpoenas to appear before a Harris County Grand jury. Officers did take 13 people to jail Wednesday. Arrest warrants were also issued on several others that will be picked up in the next few days.

KHOU-TV

Thirteen people were taken to jail.

At the scene, HPD said there are dozens of large illegal gambling sites operating in Houston.

The department wants you to know that if you are participating or running an illegal poker game, you just might be sitting next to an undercover cop.  And if that’s the case, you could be the next one in handcuffs going to jail.