GARDAÍ IN Letterkenny raided the Grill and Rouge nightclubs on Saturday night and removed all alcohol from the premises to Letterkenny Garda station.
Up to 15 members of the force entered the adjoining nightclubs at about 9pm, armed with a warrant to remove all alcohol from the five bars on the premises.
Over the next five hours they used wheelie bins and several police vehicles to remove beer kegs, crates, alcopops, spirits and bottled beers, as note was taken of the goods being removed.
Gardaí took this unusual course of action because the nightclub premises did not have an up-to-date liquor licence.
The Grill and Rouge nightclubs are part of an entertainment complex owned by Paul McGlinchey.
His father Bernard, a former Fianna Fáil senator, established the business more than 50 years ago.
While bars in Donegal have previously closed temporarily because they did not have a valid liquor licence, it is unusual for gardaí to take such a radical approach.
One Garda source described the 15-man operation as "part of the ongoing clampdown on licensed premises".
"The raid was part of a planned operation which lasted from 9pm until 2am. We had a warrant going in to remove all of the alcohol and there was no obstruction put in our way. The raid will be part of a prosecution," the garda said.
As the alcohol was removed by gardaí through fire exits at the rear of the premises, notices were placed on the entrance to the nightclubs saying: "We are sorry to say that both Rouge and The Grill will be closed tonight due to unforeseen circumstances."
Staff who arrived to work were sent home.
The Dublin-based band the Future Kings of Spain had been scheduled to play in one of the clubs, but the event was cancelled.
One couple who were dining in the adjoining Oceans restaurant, also part of the entertainment complex, were shocked to see two uniformed and three plain-clothes gardaí enter the restaurant and go through to the kitchen.
Attempts to contact Paul McGlinchey yesterday were unsuccessful.
