Oxnard police seize illegal slot machines
Oxnard police shut down a tobacco shop this week and arrested its owner on suspicion of selling illegal weapons and operating illegal video-style slot machines at the store.
Tobacco King owner Paul Kwon, 63, of Chatsworth was arrested about 3 p.m. Thursday at his business in the 800 block of Ventura Road, said David Keith, spokesman for the Police Department.
A tip from a neighborhood resident alerted police to the activity at the smoke shop, Keith said.
“The weapons part isn’t really unusual, but the slot machines -- we haven’t seen that before,” he said. “We’ve had poker, blackjack and dice, but not slot machines.”
On display at the store were 52 illegal weapons, including cane swords, brass knuckles and switchblades. Two slot machines were seized, along with the weapons and more than $6,600 in cash.
Kwon was booked on felony charges of possession and sale of dangerous weapons, and misdemeanor counts of possessing a switchblade and gambling equipment.
He was released early Friday on $10,000 bail.
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