Hoke County Sheriff Dr. Hubert Peterkin said Thursday that deputies have raided and closed a sweepstakes operation that didn’t have the county’s permission to open its doors.

Officers were busy Thursday morning clearing out a warehouse near Cape Fear Conference B Headquarters on U.S. 401, after learning that a business owner had moved sweepstakes machines into the location. The owner did not obtain a permit to operate the sweepstakes facility, the sheriff said.

Hoke County classifies sweepstakes/electronic gaming businesses as a conditional use, and requires such businesses to apply for a permit and appear before the commission seeking permission to open. In the past, not all such businesses have followed county requirements.

It’s possible the sweepstakes center on U.S. 401 also violated another stipulation of the county’s ordinance that states such businesses must be a minimum distance from churches, and some other types of community buildings.

Information on charges and other details will be available in next week’s issue of The News-Journal.