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 Christopher Perez of the Hialeah police described a February 28 undercover operation coordinated with the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco (ABT), the Human Trafficking Task Force, Florida Highway Patrol and other agencies. They described low lighting, DJ and nightclub lighting, buckets of beer on tables, lack of food service in the kitchen, and two security guards who tried to warn patrons when police arrived. The task force interviewed several female workers and referred human‑trafficking concerns to the specialized investigators.

Code enforcement officer Caleb Rodriguez testified that the property had unpermitted electrical and mechanical work and an unlicensed outdoor seating area. City staff submitted photographs, ledgers and social‑media posts showing promotional “lingerie night” events and references to gaming machines.

The respondent was represented by attorney Michael Wolf, who argued the city’s emergency remedy was disproportionate. Wolf said the owner of the BTR — identified in licensing records as Yasser — was not present and the property was being operated by others, and he urged that an informal process and sanctions short of closure should be used. He disputed that the facts supported an “imminent danger” finding required for an emergency revocation.

City witnesses and some council members disagreed. The city’s closing argument noted the venue had been the subject of earlier police contacts in 2022 and maintained that the multi‑agency operation and evidence supported an emergency revocation because of public‑safety and public‑health risks, illegal gambling, and the presence of solicitation that could enable exploitation. One councilmember described the premises as a fire hazard because of unpermitted electrical work and blacked‑out walls and said the city should not wait until a disaster occurred.

A motion to affirm the revocation carried on roll call vote. The council’s order upholds the business tax receipt revocation issued on March 3, 2025; the order and revocation are subject to the procedures and appeal rights noted by the city attorney.

Actions recorded: Motion to affirm revocation—mover: Councilmember Zogby; second recorded. Vote: carried (roll call). City staff stated seized property (gaming machines and ledgers) were entered into evidence and referred human‑trafficking matters to the task force.