Russian authorities have discovered an underground casino operating on the grounds of the North Korean embassy, according to local news agency TASS.
The casino was one of 15 illegal gambling operations shut down in Moscow last week during following extensive investigation from the city’s Investigative Committee.
“A total of fifteen gambling joints and casinos were closed down in Moscow early last week. One of them was in a building on the premises of the North Korean embassy,” TASS quoted a source as saying. Authorities also raided 80 homes and offices and arrested 100 people said to be involved.
The embassy has denied any knowledge of the underground casino, telling Tass, “This is not so. We know nothing about this.”
Inside Asian Gaming reported recently that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un was set to ask the United States to invest in a new casino resort in the Wonsan Special Tourist Zone during his June meeting with US President Donald Trump next week.
Kim is said to be eyeing the possibility of building the casino, described as an “international tourism complex” in order to boost tourism to the country, with the government anticipating it could raise revenue of up to US$50 million annually.