UPDATE (October 9, 2017 at 10.27am CST): Celia management have confirmed the raid, though they say it was simply a passport check. Read their statement here.

Police raids on nightlife venues are becoming a more frequent occurrence in Shanghai, as part of an ongoing crack down on suspected drug use. Late night dance club Celia was the latest to be raided, with police entering the venue during the early hours of the morning on Sunday, September 24.

According to a witness at the scene, a police vehicle parked out of view from the club, and four officers proceded to enter the venue and conduct urine tests on the patrons. During this time, bouncers barricaded the doors and prevented people from entering or leaving the club.

One unverified source claims that up to 50 patrons, many of them expats and foreign nationals, tested positive for drug use and were subsequently detained for at least 48 hours.

Previous notable police raids, such as that on a 2016 rave in Shenzhen, saw 93 people detained for failing drug tests, with the majority of them testing positive for marijuana use. It has also been suggested that urine exams also test for cocaine, meth and GHB.

Aside from nightclubs, KTV venues have also been the recent targets of police drug raids.

See a listing for Celia



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