In its ever continuing effort to avoid immigration related criminal investigations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Special Victims Unit (ICE SVU) has decided to eschew sex crimes for the even less important local illegal  gambling investigations. 

The Baltimore Sun October 24, 2012 by John Meoli

Towson Location Among 10 Searched In Illegal Online Gambling Investigation

Baltimore County Police on Wednesday morning executed search warrants on 10 online gambling and sweepstakes businesses, including Hot Spot Sweepstakes in the 1300 block of Goucher Boulevard in Towson.

In a statement, the police department said the raids, which were carried out in conjuction with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigation, and the U.S. Attorney's Office, was the culmination of a year-long investigation ordered by county police Chief Jim Johnson.

Police said the investigation "established that the businesses were using electronic gaming devices in an illegal manner."

During the investigation, detectives had gone into the establishments, used the computer terminals at the internet cafés and were given monetary payouts for points earned, police said.

And as in other ICE SVU investigations, no arrests were made.

No arrests have been made, but police said charges could be filed at the conclusion of the investigation after the evidence recovered in the raids is examined.

So, the new ICE Bunko Squad wasted thousands of man hours of investigations on a case without a Federal nexus and still made no arrests, despite the hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens in Maryland.  And what is the immigration or customs nexus for ICE SVU's involvement?

Actually there is a Federal nexus, though a weak one.  Federal law prohibits interstate gambling if the gambling is illegal in the State where it occurs.  But usually the FBI investigates such cases.  Again, ICE SVU/Bunko Squad is targeting the FBI.