Toms River Man Faces Gambling Charges in Howell Township Probe

A Toms River man and his co-worker at a Howell Township gas station are facing charges after an illegal gambling machine was found on the property. 

Howell police said an investigation conducted in conjunction with the state Attorney General's Division of Gaming uncovered a coin pushing machine at the Gulf station at the intersection of Route 9 and Aldrich Road in the Monmouth County town.

Syed Shah, 32, of Toms River and Asif Khan, 33, of Lakewood both face charges of third-degree promoting of gambling for recreation or money and fourth-degree maintaining a gambling resort open to the public for allegedly having the machine in a building. They also both face one count of possession of a gambling device, which is a disorderly persons offense. 

A release from the Howell department said the machine was prominently displayed in the station's store, making it available to the patrons. After representatives from the Attorney General's Office confirmed that the machine was there and being used the local department was involved in the investigation, police said.