Police raid 'illegal speakeasy' in Pittsburgh's South Side Slopes

Authorities searching an unlicensed bar in Pittsburgh last week turned up more than 60 liters of liquor, illegal gambling machines, cash and 10 gallons of beer, according to state and local police.

The Nuisance Bar Task Force executed a search warrant at Bridgez, an Arlington Avenue bar in the South Side Slopes near the border of Mt. Oliver Borough, about 9 p.m. Friday.

State police referred to the establishment in a release as “an illegal speakeasy.”

According to state police, task force members seized: 61 liters of liquor, 10 gallons of malt and brewed alcohol, three illegal gambling machines, $500 in cash and other business-related items.

Pittsburgh police also found a rifle in the building and arrested one man for alleged drug and firearm violations, authorities said.

Three people will be charged in relation to illegal alcohol sales and illegal gambling, according to an officer with the Bureau of Liquor Control and Enforcement. Their names were not available Tuesday, and the officer said the charges were still pending.

The establishment, according to its Facebook page, is still operating but under a “BYOB” policy. The night after the police raid, they advertised an event called, “They smacked us, now back us.” They also announced the hiring of an armed security guard and indicated they’d soon be holding poetry and spoken word events.

Pittsburgh police said complaints about illegal alcohol sales have risen since the covid-19 pandemic began.

“The city will not tolerate nuisance bars that create problems and detract from the quality of life for residents in surrounding neighborhoods,” said Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich.

He said the task force – made up of Pittsburgh police, state police, the District Attorney’s Office and more – will continue following up on community complaints and conducting unannounced checks of “problem properties.”

Complaints about nuisance bars can call the dedicated Nuisance Bar Hotline at 412-323-7777.