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      Police seize 41 video gaming machines in Bennettsville

      Officers with the Bennettsville Police Department and agents with the State Law Enforcement Division raided six convenience stores Monday and say they seized 41 video gaming machines.

      Police arrested five people on charges of keeping of a gaming house and cited 12 people for gambling.

      Officers say the special operation is the result of a month long undercover investigation.

      Police say they got tips the stores were paying out cash for winnings.

      They say some of the machines seized include video poker machines and those often called "sweepstakes" machines.

      Officers temporarily shutdown the stores as they confiscated machines. Customers trying to buy gas from the stores were turned away. Because so many stores were raided in such a small area, many drivers ran into major headaches trying to find a store that wasn't closed by police.

      One customer told us having to drive around to find gas was worth it though, since the machines are an addiction for many who spend their hard earned paychecks trying to win big money.

      Cheraw Police and the Bennettsville Fire Department assisted in the seizure of the machines.

      The investigation continues.

      SLED plans on conducting similar raids in Horry and Georgetown Counties.