Cartersville, GA – On Wednesday, July 19, 2017, the GBI’s Commercial Gambling Unit and the Bartow-Cartersville Drug Task Force, in cooperation with the Georgia Lottery Corporation and the Georgia Department of Revenue, executed five (5) search warrants in Bartow County for violations of Georgia’s commercial gambling laws.

Search warrants were served at five (5) business locations in the cities of Cartersville and White. 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.

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:

Sunoco, 2471 Hwy 411 NE, White

Kim’s Gift Shop, 906 Joe Frank Harris Parkway, Cartersville

Sunoco a/k/a Red Top Food Mart, 300 Red Top Mountain Road, Cartersville

Mack’s Express a/k/a Smart Mart, 1139 N. Tennessee Street, Cartersville

Gift Shop, 1141 N. Tennessee Street, Cartersville

The following individuals were arrested and charged with felony Commercial Gambling:

Xaing Yun Jin, 57 of Cartersville, GA

Meilan Xu, 46 of Cartersville, GA

Shahid Mushtaq, 44 of Cartersville, GA

Luisa Tercero, 27 of Cartersville, GA

Farhan Hameed, 45 of Ellijay, GA

Clara Mullinax, 48 of White, GA

In total, more than 40 officers launched the raids in a simultaneous and coordinated fashion. Additional arrests are pending. 

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