Hull, GA – On Tuesday, August 15, 2017, the GBI’s Commercial Gambling Unit, along with the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, the Athens-Clarke County Drug Task Force, and the Northern Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office, in cooperation with the Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Georgia Department of Revenue, executed six (6) search warrants in Madison, Oconee and Oglethorpe Counties for violations of Georgia’s commercial gambling laws.  Other agencies providing assistance for the execution of these search warrants include the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office, the Georgia Department of Corrections K-9 Unit, the Comer Police Department, and the Georgia Department of Community Services.

Search warrants were served at four (4) business locations in the cities of Hull, Comer, Athens and Carlton. While searching the locations, agents collected evidence related to crimes of commercial gambling and seized monetary assets gained from the illegal use of gaming machines. Today’s execution of warrants also included residential locations in Watkinsville and Hull.

All of the business locations are currently licensed to operate Coin Operated Amusement Machines.  However, during the course of the investigation, agents discovered customers were receiving cash payouts for winning credits.  In Georgia, credits may only be redeemed for lottery tickets and/or store merchandise.

Search warrants were executed at the following business locations:

Kwik Chek, 9020 Hwy 29 South, Hull

Kwik Pick Gulf, 1880 Hwy 29 North, Athens

Sandy Cross Hardware and Cafe, 815 Lexington-Carlton Road, Carlton

Valero, 25 Hwy 72 East, Comer

The following individuals were arrested and charged with commercial gambling (felony):

Shahid Aulakh, 38 of Hull
Minti Patel, 53 of Watkinsville
Nimish Patel, 53 of Watkinsville
Mohammad Shafiq, 48 of Hull

In total, more than 50 officers launched the raids in a simultaneous and coordinated fashion.

Special Agent in Charge - Cindy Ledford | Commercial Gambling Unit | 404/270-8491