Mexican authorities are stepping up action against machines they classify as illegal gambling devices, after Operativo Dos de Bastos resulted in the seizure of 3,374 maquinitas across 84 municipalities in the State of Mexico.
The July operation was led by the State of Mexico Attorney General’s Office (FGJEM), with support from the armed forces and National Guard, under the National Strategy against Extortion.
Authorities alleged that the machines generated revenue for criminal groups and exposed minors to gambling-related risks. They also recovered 9.697 tonnes of coins from the machines, valued at around MXN9m [$530k].
However, owners and operators have challenged the crackdown.
