Eighty people were detained and 36 businesses closed down in an unprecedented nationwide raid against gambling.Turkish National Police raided thousands of places late Saturday in 81 provinces for illegal gambling.

In simultaneous operations more than 8,000 policemen inspected coffeehouses and similar venues where they suspected gambling activities were taking place.

Eighty people were detained for running gambling parlors while 159 others, already wanted on gambling charges, were captured. Police also closed down 36 businesses where the parlors were located and issued fines. Gambling was banned in Turkey in 1998 but illegal gambling houses survive to this day.