A massive illegal gambling crackdown in Hitchcock, Texas, has resulted in 33 arrests, the seizure of hundreds of gaming machines, and the arrest of the city’s sitting mayor after investigators uncovered what authorities describe as an organized criminal operation spread across the city. Investigators with the Galveston County Organized Crime Task Force carried out 21 search warrants in Hitchcock on February 18. The coordinated effort included multiple suspected game rooms and, notably, City Hall. According to the Galveston County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation was launched after officials received numerous complaints from residents about unlawful gambling establishments operating in the city. In an earlier statement shared by the sheriff’s office on Facebook, officials said the warrants were executed “on February 18, 2026, at 3:00 p.m.” and were part of “an extensive investigation into illegal gambling operations.” Authorities added that deputies served warrants “at 20 separate locations believed to be operating unlawful gambling establishments.” City Hall was among the properties searched. The sheriff’s office explained that the City of Hitchcock was included “due to its regulatory responsibilities …