SOUTH MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Investigators are working a possible a culinary cover-up inside a South Florida restaurant. It was a restaurant by day, but police say, by night it was something else.
Police shut down a restaurant after they said it was being operated as an illegal nightclub in Southwest Miami-Dade.
In early October, officers were seen making their way into the Corvina House Restaurant on Coral Way, near Southwest 79th Avenue, where they would ultimately arrest 11 people and seize drugs, money and weapons.
“Basically the ringleader of it all was the owner of the business, who he too was arrested. We began the investigation, which included an undercover detective going inside the location and befriending some of the individuals there, who were later arrested,” said Sgt. Eduardo Pares, MDPD Gang Unit.
Miami-Dade Police said the undercover detective was able to buy drugs from the waitresses inside.
“In turn, that waitress would get the narcotics from the security guards at the location, which would act as muscle– an enforcement for the establishment,” said Pares.
“We were working here in fear,” said Adriana Velasquez after translation.
Velasquez works at a dry cleaner a few doors down.
She told 7News some mornings, when she would come in to work, there would still be drunk people leaving the restaurant.
Dr. Carlos Garcia owns a pharmacy in the shopping plaza and said he’s thankful police stopped any illegal activity taking place near his business.
“Obviously we want to have a safe environment for our patients,” said Garcia, “so we don’t want anything weird happening here, obviously.”
All 11 in custody are facing numerous drug charges.
An employee of the business told 7News the establishment is now under new management.
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