The casinos were operating in Hudi-Laran, Bebonuk and Timor Plaza.

Longuinhos Monteiro, the Minister for Interior, said the casinos were shut down and would not be allowed to re-open until the appropriate tax had been paid.

“This game is considered as illegal because they didn’t pay the tax,’’ Monteiro said.

Frederico Florindo de Jesus ‘Oan-Kiak’, the owner of the casinos in Timor-Plaza and Bebonuk, denied his businesses were operating illegally.

Oan Kiak said he had received a letter of operation from the appropriate gambling authorities and had regularly paid tax.

“We followed the bid and they give us 15 days to complete the document, we had completed all the document but until now they never submitted the document to us and suddenly the Police come to dismiss us,” he said on Saturday.

A police spokesperson said the owner of casino Nuno Nai in Hudi Laran had been detained by police for 72 hours with the investigation on going.