IQALUIT (Apr 26/99) - An after-hours club in Iqaluit known as the Booze Can was shut down Thursday evening following a raid by the RCMP.

According to S/Sgt. Jim MacDougall, several police officers executed a search warrant at Building 2017 West Forty at approximately 7 p.m.

Home to a private club officially called The Explorers' Club, the establishment allegedly functioned as a bar, but did not possess the appropriate licences to do so.

"They will be charged strictly under the Liquor Control Act," said MacDougall.

"(It's) what's commonly known as bootlegging. It's no different than the next-door neighbour bootlegging, except it's on a larger scale."

During the April 22 raid, a fairly large quantity of liquor was seized along with a large quantity of documents like liquor freight bills and employee records and assorted bar paraphernalia including shot glasses, jiggers and bar prices.

"Basically, what we're trying to show is that it was an open bar and that it was open for business," said MacDougall.

The bust comes at the end of roughly a year-long investigation, during which the Iqaluit RCMP collected enough information to be able to obtain the search warrant. Police say further charges are pending and the investigation is still ongoing.