West Allis Pulls Plug On Bar Tagged In Federal Drug-Trafficking Probe

West Allis has slammed the brakes on Blaque Bar & Bites, voting to yank the Lincoln Avenue spot’s liquor and public-entertainment licenses and effectively shut the place down. The move followed a licensing review that landed the business in front of the city’s Common Council.

In a 9-0 vote, the council backed a committee’s recommendation to revoke the bar’s authority to sell alcohol and host live entertainment, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The outlet reported that the decision came after coverage linking the venue to a large federal drug-trafficking investigation.

License records and city complaint

City licensing records list Blaque Bar & Bites at 9105 W. Lincoln Ave. and show it held a Class B tavern license along with a public-entertainment license. Those files, along with recent application materials, are posted on the City of West Allis Legistar portal. City of West Allis records also show that a complaint involving the operator appeared on a Common Council agenda in early May.

Why the council moved

Council members pointed to public-safety concerns after materials surfaced that connected the venue to a federal trafficking probe. They said administrative revocation of the licenses was the proper way to reduce potential risk. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported that work by federal investigators played a central role in the licensing panel’s recommendation.

What comes next

The council’s decision means the business cannot sell alcohol or stage entertainment unless the licenses are later reconsidered by the city or a court steps in. West Allis has used this approach before. Last year, the council voted 9-0 to revoke The Drunk Uncle’s licenses after repeated police calls, a case covered at the time by FOX6 Milwaukee.

Legal implications

The licensing action is administrative in nature and does not create criminal charges by itself. Any criminal case would proceed separately through federal prosecutors. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Wisconsin is responsible for handling federal drug and trafficking prosecutions in the region, as reflected in materials from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Wisconsin.