HALLANDALE BEACH, Florida — Accusing its dancers of offering more than lap dances, a police SWAT team burst into the Cheetah strip club early Saturday and arrested 19 people in a raid that culiminated a two-year investigation by state and local authorities.
The club, at 100 Ansin Blvd., had been under investigation by Hallandale police’s Vice Intelligence and Narcotics Unit and the state’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation, police spokesman Andrew Casper said.
At about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, Casper said, a SWAT team raided the club and presented managers with an emergency order to suspend operations.
According to Casper, 16 dancers were arrested on suspicion of solicitation of prostitution, as well as two managers on charges of running a house of prostitution, and one person on suspicion of delivery of illicit narcotics.
It is not yet known how long the business will be shut down. The names of those arrested were not released.
Under state law, Casper said, authorities can suspend operations at any business that threatens the public’s safety, health or welfare.
