Officials shut down illegal club in NYC with 160 people inside amid COVID-19 pandemic

December 21, 2020December 21, 2020 WKXA

NYC SHERIFFBy ROSA SANCHEZ, ABC News

(NEW YORK) — Officials shut down an illegal nightclub in New York City Sunday morning.

At around 2:45 a.m., New York City Sheriff’s deputies arrived at the hidden establishment in the borough of Queens and found more than 164 people inside.

The building — which deputies said partygoers entered through a rear alleyway — is located on 243rd Street in Rosedale.

Officials confirmed the news on Twitter, and said that the secret club violated health guidelines amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In New York City, indoor or outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed in private homes, and gatherings of more than 50 people are not allowed whatsoever, according to the city’s official website.

The club also violated fire codes and did not have a liquor license, officials said on Twitter.

Five people have been charged with multiple offenses.

“Deputy Sheriffs shut down illegal bottle club @ 145-12 243rd Street Queens, access via rear alley: 164+ people, violation of emergency orders, barricaded egress, no liquor license, fire & health code violations, 5 charged with multiple offenses,” the sheriff’s office wrote on Twitter.

During the pandemic, city officials have made various shutdowns and arrests related to illegal gatherings.

Last month, New York City officials shut down an illegal club in Midtown Manhattan which hosted nearly 400 people for a party at the height of the pandemic.

That club also had no liquor license, and officials issued arrest warrants for four unidentified organizers and charged them for “offenses for penal, health, [and] alcohol beverage control laws.”

Then, earlier this month, protesters waving American flags and slamming Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s emergency COVID-19 restrictions gathered at Mac’s Public House, a popular bar in the Staten Island, that was shut down a day earlier by sheriff’s deputies. The deputies had arrested one of the bar owners for allegedly violating an executive order meant to stop a second wave of the virus from taking over the city.