ORLANDO, Fla. — Downtown Orlando business owners are voicing outrage over a recent operation conducted by the Orlando Police Department.
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“To have those violations backed up almost as ammunition to come after us is totally unrealistic. It’s totally against the AMS to make downtown safe. It’s to shut downtown down,” said Scott Kotroba, Owner of Bullitt Bar.
Kotroba establishment is one of many places that have been hit with a violation from the Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Division after the operation targeted 23 establishments in the Downtown Entertainment District.
“If OPD is collecting these violations behind the scenes and not telling us what’s going on. That is not the rules that were set up. That is not. It’s not how you keep people safe. That is not how you keep venues safe, Kotroba.
Kotroba said in the last few months, business has been down 60-70% and the last thing they need is to be hit with more bad spotlight.
Kotroba and other business owners like Jeff Ekas said they feel blindsided by the crackdown and that for months, several agencies targeted them.
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“Check the records, no one has been arrested, and yeah, it’s another hurdle for trying to do business in downtown Orlando,” said Jeff Ekas, Owner of Casey’s on Central.
According to police, Operation Night Cap was an operation from July to November where undercover officers from the Orlando Police Department went into clubs and bars.
According to the department, the undercover officer went into several bars and nightclubs with weapons, did not have IDs scanned, and had been buying drugs not only from the customers but also from employees.
The operation led to 150 after-midnight sale permit violations across the 23 establishments and 85 charges against 32 suspects, including, 5 employees where drug sales took place.
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Eleven of the 32 are now in jail, with more arrests expected, including a security guard for Bullit.
WFTV Tonight spoke with Kotroba, who is also the Vice President of the Orlando Police Foundation about the arrest, who explained he was hired through a third party and was fired by management 5-6 months ago for suspicious behavior.
Ekas said the goal is to work with police, not against them, and keep the downtown nightlife safe.
Both owners said they have a no-tolerance policy for drugs and weapons in their establishments and said OPD’s actions are egregious, excessive, unjust, and unacceptable.
“We would like to have answers. Why are we listed? Again, we’re not aware of anything. We’re an establishment that does everything right,” said Ekas.
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