The UK's HM Revenue & Customs is investigating an illegal fruit machine scam in the North East.
In conjunction with the Gambling Commission and local authorities, officers have raided 14 premises and confiscated 10 fruit machines and £3,000 from their cash boxes.
The officers visited private-hire taxi offices in Forest Hall, Killingworth and North Shields as well as takeaways and cab companies in Houghton-le-Spring, Blyth and on Gateshead, according to the Evening Chronicle.
Investigators are trying to determine who has been supplying the machines. Some of them are tampered so as to appear they have a lower jackpot exempting them from a license, and some do not pay out as much as they should. The Evening Chronicle says some establishments are offered the machines for free or at low cost, or even pressured and threatened to accept them if they do not.
"There are many businesses owners who are genuinely not aware that it is not just as simple as buying a gambling machine and setting it up. We want to encourage people to find out the right process," an HMRC officer told the Evening Chronicle.
"It has also come to our attention that there has been an increase in the number of rogue machines becoming available across the region. We urge people not to deal with people who are offering cheap or free gaming machines. These sellers are likely not to be the genuine article."