Sex Club in Valley Is Shut by City

Los Angeles City Councilman Jack Weiss announced Friday that an illegal sexual-encounter club in Studio City has been shut down.

The Silk Lounge was raided Wednesday by LAPD officers, who arrested five people on suspicion of engaging in lewd acts in a public place, authorities said.

“We have taken quick action here, and if they come back we will kick them in the teeth again,” said Weiss as he stood in front of the club in the 12400 block of Ventura Boulevard.

Weiss and the Los Angeles Police Department’s North Hollywood Division were told of the club by local residents, who became suspicious after seeing a recent newspaper advertisement.

The ad promoted “A July 4th Hedonist Affair,” in which customers were invited to have sex that would be shown live on the Internet. The Silk Lounge was described in the ad as a “private members-only club where adults can meet and play.” Singles were to pay $40 at the door and couples $60.

Weiss, who represents the 5th Council District, said he was stunned that the club would be located “in a commercial area surrounded by thriving residential communities.”

Undercover officers visited the club twice before the raid, said LAPD Capt. Bruce Crosley, commander of the North Hollywood Division. The officers did not engage in any sexual activity, Crosley said.

The arrests were made because police said the club was not private; anyone walking by with enough money for the cover charge could enter.

The club owners, whose names were not released, were cited by inspectors of the city’s Department of Building and Safety for operating an adult club within 500 feet of a residential area, authorities said.