Unlicensed Houston strip club raided by police

HOUSTON - Houston officials say they are cracking down on unlicensed sexually-oriented businesses in the city, starting with a northwest Houston strip club that was raided early Saturday morning.

Library Houston raided by police

What we know:

The raid happened at The Library on West TC Jester Boulevard. Officials were at the scene at about 3 a.m. on Saturday.

According to HPD Assistant Chief James Skelton, the raid included multiple organizations, such as the Harris County District Attorney's Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.

Skelton says many people were found inside the club and have been arrested.

"This establishment has no business permit, no alcohol permit, no license whatsoever," he said.

By the numbers:

Authorities said 12 people were arrested during Saturday's raid.

Eight sexually-oriented business violations, two liquor violations, one private security act violation and one manager operating at a sexually-oriented business without a license violation was also handed out.

What we don't know:

Police have not named anyone who was arrested.

"The beginning of an operation"

What they're saying:

Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare says the raid was the start of an initiative against unlicensed sexually-oriented businesses in Houston.

In a media briefing outside the establishment, the DA labeled businesses like The Library as "crime drivers." He says unlicensed businesses are connected to crimes such as drunk driving, assault, and human trafficking.

"We're going to work to close businesses like this around our community because they are the crime drivers. Entities like this - a sexually-oriented business without the permits, an unlicensed establishment that's open at 6 a.m. - drives crimes around our community," Teare said. "This is the beginning of an operation that we're going to continue every single week until we get to take back our streets from organizations and crime drivers like this."