Police raid shisha bar with hundreds breaking lockdown rules

Officers say shutters were slammed shut in their faces and music turned off inside

A shisha bar has been fined £10,000 after 250 people were found crammed inside during a police raid.  

Police bodycam footage captured the moment officers turned up at Kasablanca Shisha Lounge in Birmingham following complaints about loud music on Friday night.  

As officers stand outside questioning someone about the bar’s capacity, the venue's shutters can be seen slowly closing in the background, prompting one of the PCs to ask “why are they locking it up?”  

Police say the shutters were deliberately slammed shut in their faces to stop them from entering and that the music inside was turned off inside.  

But when officers did manage to get inside, they discovered 250 people completely ignoring the current coronavirus social distancing rules.  

In footage released by West Midlands Police, one of the officers can be heard telling someone behind the bar: “Shutting the shutters to turn the music off has made no difference. We’ve got it all on camera.  

“Every person here should be wearing a mask. You are working behind here. You have a duty to ensure that people in here are following the guidelines.  

“People should not be in groups up at the till.”  

While another officer says: “When I came in here, I could hear the music. It’s all recorded. As soon as whoever it is that controls these shutters has seen the police, they’ve shut the shutters.  

“I’ve then stood at that door and I’ve heard them turn the music down and tell everyone to be quiet. I can hear it through the door, I’m not stupid.”  

An investigation was launched and the owner of the business was handed a £10,000 fine.  

In a separate incident, a premises at Phoenix Business Park in Walsall was also fined over the weekend relating to an illegal rave broken up back in September.  

The Chicken Hut fast-food restaurant in Dudley was also fined £1,000 for breaching the 10pm closure time on Friday night.  

Officers on dedicated coronavirus patrols also shut down events at Viollet Salon and Dahlak lounge in Birmingham where large groups of people were continuing to break regulations. 

These premises will now be considered for fines.  

Superintendent Rich Harris, of West Midlands Police, said: “Businesses have a responsibility not only to their customers and their staff but to the wider community and there must be consequences when Covid-19 guidance is simply ignored.  

“Everyone has a part to play in reducing the spread of coronavirus, and no one is above the law when it comes to that.  

“We understand that some of the regulations are confusing and we will be explaining where we find breaches, but if people continually flout these measures, we will not hesitate to take action.”