MONTICELLO — Five people were arrested and five gamblingmachines were confiscated Monday afternoon after police officersraided a business here.

Two Monticello businessmen and three players were arrestedfollowing the raid on Andy’s Service Center, according to PoliceChief Willard Griffin.

Ashok “Andy” Vig, 34, of 187 Jefferson Street, Monticello, ownerof Andy’s Service Station, is charged with three counts ofunlawfully encouraging, promoting and controlling an illegal videogambling machine. Alex Russell, no age or address given, owner ofRussell’s Service Station, faces two counts of the same charge.

Three Lawrence County residents face a single charge ofunlawfully gambling by playing a video gambling machine. They are:Dorothy Jefferson, 68, P.O. Box 373, Monticello; Ruby Martin, 48,2000 Robert Charles Drive, Monticello; and Joe Parkman Jr., 36, Rt.1 Box 293, Sontag.

Three video gambling machines were confiscated from Andy’s andtwo others from Russell’s. An undisclosed amount of cash was alsoseized.

Vig and the three players were arrested Monday afternoon afterpolice were notified an injunction preventing them from removingthe devices from the business had been lifted, Griffin said.

“We were under an injunction not to touch them, but when theylifted the injunction, we got them,” he said.

Griffin said he was not aware of all the details concerning theinjunction, but knew it was tied to legal maneuvers among thestate’s high courts about gambling issues.

Russell turned himself in Monday afternoon after hearing of theAndy’s raid and told officers he had two machines in a back room,Griffin said.

“He’s been very cooperative,” the chief said.

The five suspects have all been released on bond.