Quick Shop 66 owners on 7th Street arrested for illegal gambling operation

VICTORVILLE, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The owners of the Quick Shop 66 in Victorville were arrested after authorities raided the location and discovered an illegal gambling operation.

It happened on November 19, 2020, at about 5:36 PM when deputies with the Victorville Police Department’s, Gang Enforcement Team, served a search warrant at multiple business suites located within the shopping center in the 15000 block of 7th Street in Victorville.

According to a sheriff’s news release, a prolonged investigation was conducted regarding the Quick Shop 66 convenience store hosting an illegal gambling operation. “Through investigation, it was confirmed the business owner was hosting illegal gambling and using adjacent vacant suites as the gambling site.”

During the service of the warrant, over $15,000 was located on the floor behind one of the cash registers in an unsecured manner. Deputies had previously observed the male business owner, Mohammad Ghannam, was hosting the illegal gambling from behind his register. Customers were found to enter the business to add money to their gambling accounts and collect any winning proceeds.

As a result of the investigation, business owners Mohammad Ghannam and Manuela Velazquez were arrested in violation of PC186.10(a), money laundering, and booked into High Desert Detention Center.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact Deputy F. Demara at the Victorville Police Department at (760) 241-2911 or Sheriff’s Dispatch at (760) 956-5001. Callers wishing to remain anonymous are urged to call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78CRIME (27463) or you may leave information on the We-Tip website at www.wetip.com.

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