Brownsville police raid The Gold Mine arcade

BROWNSVILLE - The police department's Special Investigations Unit raided The Gold Mine arcade on FM 511 Tuesday as stunned patrons sat behind slot-like machines amid the smell of stale cigarette smoke, lit palm trees and money signs hanging from the doorways.

Investigators took a woman and her daughter suspected of operating the arcade next to the city animal shelter to the police department for questioning. The woman declined to comment as she was led to a police car.

Charges are pending, police said.

Police said they had been eyeing the facility for some time.

"They keep putting them in our face, mocking us, as though asking, ‘What are you going to do about it?' To me, that's a challenge," Police Chief Carlos Garcia said of arcades that allegedly pay cash prizes to patrons - an act prohibited by law.

"Guess what, I'm here and I'm coming," Garcia said, arriving at the arcade around 5:20 p.m.

Police said that the city issued Ricardo Mijares, 39, of Alamo Street, the certificate of occupancy for the arcade, housed in an apparently recently constructed beige and pink building with six cantera-like columns. Mijares was not at the arcade.

The windows to the building were boarded, but the vehicles parked outside and a neon-lit "Open" sign told of activity inside.

Approximately 15 patrons were behind the machines in rows spread over two rooms decorated with plastic shrubbery, flowers and gaming signs. Investigators interviewed them and they were allowed to leave.

The arcade contained 63 eight-liner machines. At least one of the machines contained a police evidence sticker, showing it had been seized previously. Another showed it had been in Corpus Christi.