The California Department of Justice led 80 investigations into Internet sweepstakes cafes in 2013, nearly double the number from two years earlier. The department assisted local authorities with advice, search warrant preparation, evidence seizures and by providing undercover agents. Authorities have conducted investigations in 29 of the state’s 58 counties since 2012. A breakdown by county through April of this year:
County
Number of investigations
Alameda
5
Contra Costa
3
Fresno
5
Imperial
1
Kern
7
Lake
1
Los Angeles
2
Marin
2
Merced
2
Monterey
2
Napa
1
Orange
1
Placer
1
Riverside
5
Sacramento
35
San Bernardino
14
San Diego
4
San Francisco
3
San Joaquin
18
San Mateo
2
Santa Clara
1
Shasta
1
Solano
2
Sonoma
1
Stanislaus
3
Sutter
7
Tulare
2
Yolo
3
Yuba
4
Total
138
Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.
