Illegal factory casino that required $8000 buy-in busted in Melbourne

An illegal casino that required an $8000 buy-in to attend has been busted in Melbourne.

Police arrested 21 people overnight and seized cash, drugs, alcohol, gaming tables and equipment overnight from the alleged casino, which operated out of a factory in Truganina.

It's alleged the casino has been operating weekly without a licence.

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Police understand as many as 50 patrons attended per night frequently this year.

It's alleged an unlicenced bar was serving alcohol, while attendees were also in possession of drugs while inside the premises.

A 35-year-old Truganina man, the alleged operator of the casino, is expected to be charged on summons with conducting unauthorised gambling, advertising unauthorised gambling, selling liquor without a licence, consuming liquor on unlicensed premises and having liquor on unlicenced premises.

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The remaining patrons are expected to be charged with being inside an unauthorised gambling premises, consuming liquor on unlicensed premises as well as drug possession offences.

Conducting unauthorised gambling carries a potential penalty of two years imprisonment or a $192,000 fine.

"When significant quantities of cash are seized from organised crime syndicates, we know this deals a hammer blow to their ability to fund further illegal activity," Inspector Scott Colson said.

"We've put a stop to a large amount of money ending up in the hands of the wrong people, which could have then been used for further criminal offending in the community."