Six web shop operators have instructed their attorney to withdraw an appeal of Chief Justice Sir Michael Barnett’s refusal to grant an injunction in their case.

Attorney Wayne Munroe, who represents The Island Game, FML Group of Companies, Island Luck, Asue Draw, Whatfall and Chances Internet Services, said his clients asked him to discontinue the appeal.

An injunction would have prevented police from shutting down those illegal number houses.

In April, Sir Michael lifted a conservatory order that had prevented the government from shutting down the web shops.

In January, Bahamians overwhelmingly rejected a bid to regularise the numbers racket.

Since then it has been a legal tug-of-war in the courts.

Mr. Munroe told The Bahama Journal that police have carried out a number of operations where they checked to ensure that the web shops were properly licenced.

The most recent operation happened more than a week ago.

However, he says the officers’ behavior during these operations, while an inconvenience, were “proper and even handed.”

He also said given that Police Commissioner Ellison Greenslade publicly said that he nor his men would be told how to discharge their duties, he could not credibly represent to the Court of Appeal that there is a need for an injunction to prevent his clients’ businesses from being shut down pending the outcome of the litigation.