Breaking News – Police raid building disguised as a church

OVER  60 people have been arrested after a police unit raided a building disguised as a church where parties were being held in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Dominican Republic.

Advertised as the ‘Way of Holiness Pentecostal Church’, a banner outside the two-story structure listed the start times for its three fake weeknight services.

However, instead of religious sermons, guests enjoyed the music while they smoked hookah and downed booze, every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday.

According to the National Police colonel in charge of leading the operation, a shot was fired from inside the building before the police officers broke down a metal gate.

‘This information reached me. The name of the church printed, and inside there are hookahs and beers,’ the law enforcement official said. ‘I had to break that door. Watch out because we will shut this down. Everyone who is here is under arrest.’

The colonel ordered the 46 men and 20 women to make a single line and instructed them not to say a word.

Video footage shared on social media showed the guests sitting on the floor and standing next to each, most without face masks.

Since March, the government has enforced a nationwide curfew, which was extended on October 17 for an additional 25 days, the curfew prohibits large mass gatherings as preventive measures against the spread of the coronavirus.

National Police data shows that 6,786 people were arrested between October 22 and October 28 across the Dominican Republic.

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