A bit of bad news for all the new hires starting up soon. I guess it will affect other guys, commuters that is, going through training.
Oh the humanity.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/local_news/article/0,1426,MCA_437_4034148,00.html
Platinum Plus closed as nuisance
Five dancers face drug charges
By Bill Dries
Contact
August 27, 2005
http://www.commercialappeal.com/images/one_pix.gifClubs closed as nuisances
Platinum Plus is the 15th business closed by court order as a nuisance since November 2002. While most of the businesses reopened, two were closed permanently.
Denim and Diamonds, Winchester and Mendenhall, closed in June 2003. Club Universe, 3443 Jackson, was closed in July 2004.
The city's best-known topless nightclub was padlocked Friday evening in East Memphis as police and prosecutors served its owner with court papers alleging it is a nuisance.
Platinum Plus, 2514 Mt. Moriah, will remain closed at least until a Friday hearing before General Sessions Criminal Court Judge Larry Potter.
Dist. Atty. Gen. Bill Gibbons also said five dancers at the club were indicted by the Shelby County grand jury Thursday on 21 felony drug charges, accused of selling the drug ecstasy to undercover officers or confidential informants.
The closing followed an undercover investigation by the prosecutor's office, Memphis police and the West Tennessee Violent Crime & Drug Task Force, which began in June.
Several dozen dancers employed by the club and a few customers were in the business when it was closed shortly after 8 p.m. They, other club employees and the customers were allowed to leave after police checked to see if any had outstanding arrest warrants. The suspects in the drug case were not among those at the club Friday.
"I hope this sends a very clear message that we will not tolerate businesses engaging in illegal drug traffic in this community," Gibbons told reporters on the parking lot.
Memphis Police Director Larry Godwin said the raid was "another effort ... to combat illegal activity whether it be on the street or in a public establishment."
Platinum Plus is the 15th business closed as a nuisance by the prosecutor's office since November 2002. Two of those businesses were later closed permanently by court order. The others were allowed to reopen after agreeing to curb illegal activity.
As police and investigators questioned employees and club owner Ralph Lunati inside, Gibbons told reporters outside the club that his office hasn't made a decision yet on whether to try to keep it closed permanently.
"Frankly, to some degree it will depend on Mr. Lunati's attitude toward this and whether he is willing to take the necessary steps to clean up this business," Gibbons said. "These are very serious crimes. The five dancers indicted ... are looking at sentences of eight to 12 years." The case for deeming the club a public nuisance will also include 103 violations since January of city ordinances covering prohibited sexual and pornographic conduct as well as allegations of prostitution and promoting prostitution.
