Council upholds revocation of 8 Ball Cafeteria’s business tax receipt after multi‑agency raid

The Hialeah City Council affirmed city staff’s emergency revocation of the business tax receipt (BTR) for 8 Ball Cafeteria LLC, a venue at 201 W. 20th Street, after a multi‑agency operation documented what city officials described as nightclub‑style operations, illegal gambling machines and solicitation activity.

City staff presented testimony and evidence at a formal licensing revocation hearing. Yesenia Gruich, Director of Occupational Licensing / Business Tax, told the council staff had impounded gaming machines and a ledger and cited violations including serving alcohol without food (cited in city code), illegal gambling and employing “B‑girls” (a term the Florida statute uses to describe solicitation of patrons to purchase drinks). Lieutenant Marlon Espinosa and Sergeant…