An illegal gaming operation was shut down by Woburn Police last week at the Public America Gas Station on Washington Street.

The gas station, located on the Reading/Woburn town line, was under investigation after police learned that there may be illegal gaming operations on site.

Woburn Police, along with members of the Southern Middlesex Regional Drug Task Force, executed a search warrant Jan. 25, finding evidence of the illegal gaming operation, as well as herbal smoking pouches called "Mary Janes." 

Nitin R. Somaya, 34, of 10 Cindy Drive in Nashua, NH, the owner/operator of the Public America Gas Station, has been summonsed to court on one count of keeping a gaming apparatus; one count of keeping a common gaming house; one count of taking/allowing/present at betting; one count of possession of unlawful fireworks; one count of possession to distribute drug paraphernalia; and one count of failure to post rolling papers warning notice.

According to police, detectives conducted surveillance of the area and observed a man go into a back room of the convenience store, which appeared to have at least one video slot machine, stay in the room for 20 minutes, then come back to the convenience store clerk and hand him a white piece of paper. Police then saw the clerk hand the man cash in return for the paper, reported detectives. Also during the surveillance, police said that a woman also went into the backroom and returned with a slip of paper, which was turned in for cash.

During the execution of the search warrant, a Lynn woman and Lowell woman were found "actively playing" a slot machine in the backroom of the convenience store.

In addition to the four slot machines, police also confiscated a bag of illegal fireworks at the Public America, drug paraphenalia, and hundreds of "Mary Jane" herbal smoking pouches. Police reported finding a hand-written slip of paper showing sale prices for the "Mary Janes" herbal smoking pouches.

Also, 12 home drug testing kits were found on the property.

Police recovered hundreds of dollars within the four slot machines, as well as pay-out slips from playing customers, reported detectives.