Card shark gang which cheated victims for $160,000 arrested

Shanghai police have arrested eight members of a card shark gang which allegedly cheated victims out of over one million yuan ($160,000). 

Songjiang district police raided eight premises and seized over 400,000 yuan ($64,000) in cash. 

Police said one suspect, surnamed Pan, lured gamblers to card rooms run by the gang. Victims were allowed to win at first to convince them to bet more and more money and borrow cash at high interest rates. 

Gambling, though illegal, is major business in China. In March, a gambling-addicted former driving school instructor, was charged with swindling 21,300 yuan ($3,420) from four people to fund his habit. That month, 19 defendants went on trial accused of being members of the country's largest illegal online gambling ring.

[Image via Flickr]