A large quantity of drugs was seized after police raided an illegal downtown booze can early Sunday morning.
At around 4 a.m., police raided the basement of 178 Bathurst St., near Queen St., while about 250 to 300 people from all over Ontario and some as far as Florida were inside. The authorities then dismantled the bar equipment there.
According to police, three people are in custody and a number of others were charged and released to appear in court at a later date. In addition to drugs, weapons were also found on the premises, police said.
The basement at 178 Bathurst was a dance-music venue known as Bassmint in the 1990s and later a blues bar named Healey’s, owned by late guitar wizard Jeff Healey. Six years ago it was Crosstown and a Facebook page now suggests it’s now known to its customers as The Basement.
According to Staff Sgt. Ralph Brookes, the after-hours venue is a huge community concern — two previous stabbings and some firearm activity took place at the unlicensed facility in the past. |
