Twenty-one of 26 Chinese nationals charged with gambling were fined on August 23 after pleading guilty at the Fasi Magistrate's Court.

The Magistrate fined them $300 pa'anga each to be paid today or face imprisonment up to six-months imprisonment.

They were arrested by Police after more than $89,000 pa’anga and other foreign currencies was seized on Sunday, August 18 at a building in Tofoa.

The accused were Bing Huang (Lapaha), Lu Xian Wu (Afa), Huang Quan Hu (Malapo), Shui Xing Yu (Ha’ateiho), Huang Xiao Jing (Ha’asini), Yu Xiang Zheng (Tofoa), Qiqiang Chen (Fasi), Haiqiang Chen (Ngele’ia), Chen Jian Feng (Kolofo’ou), Lyu Keyi (Folaha), Liang Jie Yu (Tofoa), Zheng Erjin (Tofoa), Kong Ming Yu (Tofoa), Zhi Xing Huang (Lapaha), Xu Yue Fang (Tofoa), Shunmei Wang (Folaha), Juan Huang (Kolofo’ou), Chen Ling (Kanokupolu), Yun ying Chen (Sopu), Xiangyu Huang (Hoi) and He Shekuhua (Ha’alalo).

The owner of the building where the games were held, Xing Ming Ling of Tofoa who was additionally charged with keeping a gaming house was fined $1,000 pa'anga.

Another accused, He Bing (Tofoa) who faced gambling and possession of a firearm without a license charges had his case adjourned to August 26.

The Police Drugs Enforcement Taskforce during this operation had also seized one pistol air gun and illegal cigarettes.

The accused included 17 men and nine women between the ages of 23-year-old to 65-year-old.