Raid nets 62 eight-liner machines in Brownsville

Brownsville Police Department's Special Investigations Unit seized 62 eight-liner machines and other goods from The Gold Mine at FM 511 as part of a raid Tuesday, but left behind a baby diamondback water snake basking in the warmth of a heating lamp in the arcade's office.

A Mexican tree frog also was in the almost bare office that belied the suspected extent of operations.

The snake and frog, owned by a child and an arcade employee, were contained in separate small glass aquariums, remaining after police returned possession of the property to the operators of the arcade.

"Once we're able to get the machines out, the building is released," Police Chief Carlos Garcia said.

Investigations continue and charges were pending, Sgt. Jimmy Manrrique said late Wednesday.

The arcade, equipped with a number of machines that police suspect generated from $5,000 to $10,000 per day, was in operation since August last year.

That's when the city building department issued a certificate of occupancy to the listed owner of the arcade, Ricardo Mijares, 39, of Alamo Street, public records show.

However, continuing police inquiries show that since then ownership of the business was transferred to Teresa de Jesus Bazan, who was detained in December 2007 for operating the Golden Arcade on Boca Chica Boulevard.

From Tuesday's operation, police also seized a refrigerator, television set, computer, microwave oven, stereo systems, a money counter and 56 chairs.