Sheriff's deputies on Saturday intercepted the Liberty Belle at Manhattan's Pier 36 on the East River and arrested the owners for an illegal party, the sheriff's office said on Twitter. Authorities also accused the boat operators of serving alcohol without a liquor license.Boat operators Ronny Vargas and Alex Sauzo were issued appearance tickets for warehousing without a permit, operating an unlicensed bottle club and bar and for prohibited acts during a local state of emergency, according to a report from the sheriff's office.Sheriff Joseph Fucito told CNN that in addition to serving alcohol without a license, the boat owners also violated New York City's emergency order, which prohibits establishments from serving alcohol indoors. Vargas and Sauzo could not be immediately reached for comment. The boat captain, who was unnamed in the report, was issued a summons for not properly displaying the vessel identification number, according to the sheriff's office. The Liberty Belle, with its four decks, four bars and multi-level speaker system, often plays host to promotional events, concerts, corporate outings, church parties and other events, according to Empire Cruises, the company that operates the boat.The boat seats 200 passengers and has a maximum capacity of 600, according to Empire Cruises.Photos of the boat appear to show a large group of people gathered on one of the outdoor decks. It is unclear from the picture if they are wearing masks. Empire Cruises says in a statement on its website that it ceased operations as of March 16 until further notice because of the Covid-19 pandemic.CNN has reached out to Empire Cruises for comment. On Monday, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the boat party "just really reckless, rude, irresponsible and illegal," adding that it "violates public decency.""What if one of thRead More – Source
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