THOMASVILLE— Though the combined efforts of Thomas County Criminal Investigation Division, Thomasville Police Department Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Police Department and Thomas County Vice and Narcotics, agents were able to hit the jackpot earlier this month, when they uncovered a gambling house, resulting in the arrests of 11 individuals and seizure of thousands of dollars in U.S. currency along with multiple vehicles.

According to agents, they received a tip from a confidential informant about multiple gambling houses popping up around the Thomas County area and surrounding counties. However, one house in particular grabbed their interest.

“We got information about a house on Hwy. 84,” the undercover agent said. “Commercial gambling is illegal in the state of Georgia, so myself and some others went out and conducted surveillance.”

According to the agent, on the first day of surveillance, they saw multiple vehicles, along with individuals who had previous run-ins with law enforcement.

He then returned to his office, where he briefed his unit and commander of what he witnessed during the surveillance.

“We talked as a team about what was going on,” he said. “The tip also stated that some other stuff, such as drug activity may be going on inside the residence.”

The team, along with the agent returned the second day for surveillance, where an unexpected run-in led to a search warrant.

“Upon going out the second day, we were doing surveillance and it just so happened a Georgia State Trooper was sitting across from the address,” the agent said. “The Trooper pulled over a vehicle that was leaving the house that we were already looking at.”

The agent then followed up with the Trooper, who reported they retrieved a pound of marijuana from the vehicle they stopped.

“That pretty much gave me the extra probable cause I needed to secure a search warrant,” the agent said. “I came back and typed a search warrant, which we later executed at the house.”

Reportedly, the house was operating much like a small-scale casino.

The house had multiple card and poker tables, cameras and large televisions all while serving food and beverages.

“They had someone who would come in and clean up after, go on runs for snacks, anything they needed,” the agent said. “There was only one room that was kept locked and it was the bedroom of the house man.”

The house man was the only Thomas County resident who was arrested. The gamblers arrested included residents from Tifton, Ty Ty, Quincy and beyond.

Through the investigation, agents were able to find that those invited to gamble communicated through text messaging.

“Most of these individuals who were detained at the time of the search warrant were specially selected because of the money they had to play,” the agent said. “There were business owners, retired men, some were just there.”

While being detained, agents found multiple of the men were carrying guns while at the gambling tables.

Agents explained the house man kept a ledger, recording what every individual bet and owed.

However, with the amount of liquor being consumed and such a large amount of currency on the table at all times, agents are thankful they found the gambling house before it resulted in a homicide.