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Two illegal New Year’s parties in SoHo and Queens, which attracted hundreds of people, were crashed by the sheriff’s office in New York early Friday morning.
Eight individuals were arrested in the illegal protests due to various violations of health and safety codes, as well as emergency orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sheriff tweeted on January 1st.
Both the SoHo and Maspeth parties violated various COVID-19 emergency orders in the city and state. The orders prohibit gatherings of more than ten people in places and prohibit, among other things, liquor services anywhere after 22:00. Each owner receives fines of up to $ 15,000.
The remaining party-goers in both places were sent home.
The first bust took place at 1 a.m. when delegates struck an illegal New Year’s raven on the sixth floor of the Lofts at Prince, in Prince 177 in SoHo.
More than 145 people gathered at the scene while dancing, drinking and smoking cigarettes without following the protocols of mask and social distance. According to the sheriff, the office does not have the proper licenses to sell and store alcohol, and has violated the health code, the office reported.
Four individuals at the SoHo rave were arrested in connection with its operation: Ivan Busheski, 34, of Manhattan; Ergius Ngjelo (44) of Manhattan; Blerim Qyteza (35) of Manhattan; and Elvis Goxhufi, 42, of Queens.
An hour later, delegates in Queens figuratively turned off the lights on more than 300 people who had gathered a new year day at the Maspeth Bar / Lounge at 55-30 58th St. in Maspeth.
The office also does not have the proper license to serve and store liquor, as well as an obstructed exit and several other violations of the health code, the sheriff’s office indicated in a tweet.
The deputies also saw more than 25 people enter the premises through an emergency exit that was closed from the outside. More than 300 people in the location drank, sang and danced karaoke without meeting the requirements of the mask and social distance.
Four individuals at the Queens party have been arrested on various charges related to the operation of the illegal bottle club: Man Phan, 37, of Franklin Square, Long Island (identified as bar owner); He Bin Wang (37) of Franklin Square (Phan’s wife); Guowei Lin (44) of Fresh Meadows, Queens (DJ) and Fang Zou (35) of Borough Park, Brooklyn (employee).