North Houston: 12 arrested in police raid at unlicensed after-hours club, police say
The Brief
The raid happened early Saturday at a club on West Gulf Bank Road.
Officials say the club owner, managers, bartenders, and unlicensed security guards are among those arrested.
This is the latest in raids targeting after-hours clubs in Houston.
HOUSTON - A raid at an unlicensed Houston nightclub has led to the arrest of the club owner among 11 other people, according to police.
What we know
The raid happened at about 3 a.m. Saturday morning at the Plaza 45 nightclub on West Bank Road near the North Freeway.
Police Captain Ryan Watson says 12 people were arrested during the raid:
The club owner
Two managers
Four bartenders
Two unlicensed security guards
Three patrons with outstanding warrants
According to Capt. Watson, the club was not permitted to sell alcoholic beverages at all, let alone past 2 a.m. Undercover agents have reportedly purchased beverages at the club on several occasions.
A search warrant for the club was obtained on Friday morning, and it was executed with the overnight raid.
What we don't know
None of the suspects have been identified at this time.
What's next
"Tonight, all the illicit beverages are going to be confiscated and disposed of, according to Texas Alcoholic Beverage code," said Capt. Watson. "And we're going to be in touch with the owner of the real property here - the owner of the strip center - informing him that there's an illegal club operating on his property, and then require him to bring that property into compliance."
Capt. Watson also says the Texas Comptroller's Office will look into more potential charges against the club owner and the managers.
Everyone arrested in this operation will be booked into the Harris County Jail.
Dig deeper
This operation is the latest in a string of police raids that have happened in the Houston area.
On April 2, local and federal law enforcement raided 30 illegal game rooms across the city. Forty-five people were arrested, including a 61-year-old Richmond man who was allegedly leading a multi-million-dollar scheme involving the game rooms.
On March 20, Fridas Sports Bar on McCarty Street was raided after allegations of human trafficking and prostitution. Twenty-five possible trafficking victims were interviewed during that operation.
On March 15, an after-hours strip club called "The Library" was raided by Houston and Harris County law enforcement. Officials at the scene said the club had "no business permit, no alcohol permit, no license whatsoever." Twelve people were reportedly arrested during that operation.
Following the Library raid, Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare said that was the start of an initiative against unlicensed sexually-oriented businesses in Houston.
The Source
OnScene, Houston Police Captain Ryan Watson, and previous FOX 26 reporting.
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