Vancouver party hosts arrested following multiple public complaints

Police arrested two downtown Vancouver party hosts early Saturday morning following nearly a dozen complaints from neighbours alleging the pair were violating a public health order thatbans large social gatherings.

"After repeated complaints from the public and unsuccessful efforts to convince these hosts to stop having parties, our officers obtained a search warrant and forced entry into the condo Saturday to arrest two men," wrote Vancouver Police Department Sgt. Steve Addison in a statement Monday.

"The alleged hosts were taken to jail, and six guests were issued $230 tickets for being at the gathering," he wrote.

Police say thepair were arrested after officers received 10complaints about the noise and parties in the highrise condonear Burrard and Albernistreets.

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"Our officers will continue to make every effort to speak with violators, to remind them of the rules and to convince them to obey the health order," saidAddison.

"But when someone flagrantly ignores the law and puts others at risk of contracting COVID, we will use our legal powers to hold them accountable."

Manjinder Sagoo, 37, isfacing three counts of failing to comply with an order of the health officer, contrary to Section 99 on the B.C. Public Health Act, according to the statement.

Sanad Rayes, 35, is charged with two counts of failing to comply with an order of the health officer, contrary to Section 99 of the same act, which bans social gatherings of any size inside residences.