HOLY ROLLERS

26 December 2008

Poker playing monks arrested in Korean raid

 

The Korea Times reported the arrest on illegal gambling charges of an unlikely den of gamblers - five Buddhist monks - this week.

The monks were picked up in a police raid on a poker game involving millions of won taking place in a hotel near Mount Songni, a spokesman revealed.

Speaking from the Boeun Police Station in North Chungcheong Province, the spokesman told Korea Times reporters that the five betting monks had more than 9 million won (about $6 700) in play at the hotel, where they were staying whilst attending a national Buddhist religious event.

"We were tipped off that a group of monks were gambling,'' a police officer said.