NRI PULSE STAFF REPORT
Columbia, TN, September 3, 2026 — Ten of 13 people arrested in a sweeping illegal gambling crackdown in Tennessee were taken into U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody, authorities said, following an undercover investigation that led to the seizure of more than $1.3 million in cash and 144 gambling machines.
The coordinated raids were carried out Aug. 25 at 22 locations — 20 businesses in Columbia and two residences, one in Columbia and another in Gallatin. Authorities recovered $1,328,269 in cash, more than 100 pounds of kratom and THCA products and 144 gambling machines, according to the Columbia Police Department.
Columbia Police Chief Jeremy Haywood confirmed that 10 of the 13 people arrested were taken into ICE custody, according to Nashville television station WSMV. Authorities have not publicly released the names, nationalities or immigration status of those detained.
Indian media reports have described several of the businesses or people involved in the investigation as being associated with people of Gujarati origin. NRI Pulse has not independently verified those claims, and Columbia authorities have not identified the ethnicity or nationality of those arrested.
The investigation began in July after Columbia police and the mayor’s office received complaints from residents and business owners about suspected illegal gambling.
Undercover officers subsequently visited 50 businesses across Columbia. Investigators said they found 20 businesses conducting illegal gambling and paying cash winnings from gambling machines. The businesses targeted in the raids were convenience stores, according to local reporting.
Authorities said undercover investigators themselves received cash payouts during the operation.
One of the more disturbing findings involved children. Police said investigators observed gambling payouts involving minors believed to be as young as 9 or 10 years old. Officers also reported increased drug activity at the locations under investigation.
Investigators identified two residences — one in Columbia and another in Gallatin — where they allege proceeds connected to the gambling operations were being stored.
“This was a lengthy and complex investigation,” Haywood said, adding that investigators had spent weeks gathering evidence and identifying illegal activity throughout the community.
The operation brought together local, state and federal agencies, including the Columbia, Gallatin and Portland police departments, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, 22nd Judicial District Attorney’s Office and 22nd Judicial Drug Task Force.
The involvement of ICE adds a potentially significant immigration dimension to the case. However, being taken into ICE custody does not by itself establish that a person was unlawfully present in the United States. Authorities have not disclosed the immigration status of the 10 people or explained the individual grounds for their detention.
The case remains under investigation, and authorities said additional indictments and arrests are expected as investigators examine evidence recovered during the raids.
Cover photo credit: Columbia PD.
