‘Jueteng’ operators switch tactics, hold draws in vans

“Jueteng” operators in Novaliches have become more “mobile” in their operations with the draws for the winning numbers now being done inside vehicles, according to a Quezon City Police District official.

Novaliches police station commander Supt. Crisostomo Mendoza described as “guerilla-style” the new method being used by jueteng operators in his area of jurisdiction, making them harder to catch.

“Operators are now using vehicles like vans to conduct their jueteng operations in the neighborhoods,” the official said.

This makes it easier for them to elude the police as they do not have to stay in one place to conduct the draw for the day’s winning numbers. The new method, however, has long been practiced in other areas, particularly in provinces where the illegal numbers game is rampant.

However, despite the new modus operandi, the Novaliches police and members of the Regional Intelligence Unit of the National Capital Region Police Office arrested 26 people in two raids conducted on Feb. 19 in Barangays Sauyo and San Bartolome.

The first raid was carried out on a house on Old Gulod Street in Barangay Sauyo, leading to the arrest of 20 people, including the seizure of bet money and jueteng paraphernalia.

The second raid on a house on P. Dela Cruz Street resulted in the arrest of six people who yielded P1,000 in bets.