SWAT officers raid 'skill arcades' linked to alleged gambling

SWAT officers appeared to be raiding a number of gambling establishments in the Charlotte area on Wednesday.  Officers swarmed one location on Albemarle Road near Independence Boulevard around 1 p.m. with undercover and CMPD units. Two other locations, along Independence Boulevard in Matthews, and on Bessemer City Road in Gastonia, were all locations of a heavy police presence Wednesday. It's unclear how many agencies are part of the operation that spans multiple jurisdictions. WCNC Charlotte has contacted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police, as well as North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) to learn more about the operation."A lot of rigmarole goes on over there," Michelle Touchberry, who was in the area when police arrived, said. "You smell weed, they don't keep the place clean. They walk through the parking lot and they just throw trash. You find needles all over here and stuff like that. It's just bad news."Read more: https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crime/police-raid-business-arcade-gambling-fish-games/275-ce08c02e-eee1-4555-9aad-e12582b64eceWatch WCNC Charlotte each weekday morning from 4:30 to 7 a.m.WCNC Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at WCNC Charlotte.  SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Pandora || TuneIn || Google Podcasts || iHeartAll of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.Click here to sign up for the daily WCNC Charlotte newsletter