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The incident took place in Bridgeport around 10 p.m., Friday, Dec. 16 at De Castillo Grocery Store at 1160 State St.
The bust comes on the heels of an investigation conducted by the Bridgeport Police Department Narcotics & Vice Division into the illegal sale of alcohol, said Capt. Kevin Gilleran, of the Bridgeport Police.
Although the store has a “grocery beer liquor permit” there is no valid permit to sell other forms of alcohol, Gilleran said.
The department served a search warrant on Friday and the owner, Hazeth Aracena, age 33, of Bridgeport, and his employee Arlenys Ortiz, age 33, of Haverstraw, New York, were both detained, he added.
During a search of the store, 67 bottles of liquor were seized from behind the counter, police said.
"During the execution of the search warrant no less than 20 citizens attempted to enter the store," Gilleran said. "Several admitted coming to the store to purchase alcohol."
The owner was also in possession of a legal Glock 45 caliber semi-automatic pistol, which was turned in as evidence to the property room, Gilleran said.
Police also located four properly secured firearms inside the grocery store however, two of them were previously reported stolen and one was configured in such a manner to be deemed an assault weapon. All firearms were seized, police said.
Aracena was charged with:
- Illegal sale of alcohol
- Illegal possession of an assault weapon
- Two counts of stealing a firearm
His bond was set at $100,000.
Ortiz was charged with the illegal sale of Alcohol. Her bond was set at $5,000.
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