7:14 p.m.
To give you an idea of how long police plan to be at several Internet cafes raided Thursday afternoon as part of a gambling and money laundering investigation, several officers searching the Bennett's Internet Cafe on Brambleton Avenue brought in dinner.
Roanoke County police, along with Virginia State Police, the FBI, and the IRS got search warrants on four different Internet cafe locations.
The investigation centers around what customers risked, or did not risk, when playing sweepstakes at each location.
Customers at Bennett's said the first 100 "credits" to play its sweepstakes are free.
Customers could gain more credits to play the sweepstakes by buying more time to surf the web, several customers told 10 On Your Side.
Bennett's owner, Robbie Bennett, confirmed to WSLS this is essentially how the system functioned.
Bennett said it couldn't be gambling since the first 100 credits are free.
He said customers who bought any web time were simply choosing to play the Internet sweepstakes game.
An employee at Bennett's said the sweepstake's top prize was $3,000.
The employee said he might see the top prize hit on back-to-back days, or might not see it hit at all for two months.
Roanoke County commonwealth's attorney Randy Leach declined comment on the cases.
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2:15 p.m.
In a news release from Roanoke County Police, officers say they executed search warrants at not only Bennent's Internet Cafe, but three other internet cafe sites in the County.
The search warrants show police are looking for evidence of illegal gambling and money laundering.
The other internet cafes are located on Williamson Road (one in Lamplighter MAll, the 2nd at Williamson and Florist Rd), and Peters Creek Rd.
Officers say their investigation began nearly a year ago, and they have received "numerous complaints" from citizens.
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1:50 p.m.
ROANOKE CO. - Roanoke County police have raided Bennent's Internet Cafe on Brambleton Avenue, 10 On Your Side confirmed through Roanoke County police Lt Chuck Mason.
The investigation centers around alleged gambling and money laundering activities at the business, Mason said.
Find out more tonight on WSLS 10 On Your Side beginning at 5:00 p.m.
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