READING, Pa. – Behind closed doors, late at night, there’s a different kind of nightlife in Reading.

Officials say last weekend, fire crews were called to a packed building — one never meant to hold that many people.

“The fire alarm devices, the smoke detection, was actually covered on purpose because they knew there was going to be smoking in there,” said Fire Marshal Jeremy Searfoss. 

“That is actually a criminal tampering charge, which rises beyond just a citation,” he said.

Officials say it’s part of a larger pattern: illegal after-hours bars operating across the city.

Some are now calling it a “black market of bars.”

“I’m talking about a completely unpermitted, unlawful operation with absolutely no oversight,” said Reading Police Deputy Chief Aaron Demko. “We’re seeing shootings, we’re seeing robberies, we’re seeing stabbings.”

Police say they’ve identified between 15 and 20 locations across the city, but shutting them down has not been easy.

“We might go kick a bunch of people out one night, and it might pop right back up the next night or the next weekend,” Demko said. “It’s just been a repetitive process for us.”

Now, the city is trying a new approach. An ordinance introduced this week would give police, fire and code officials the power to step in sooner.

“It allows us to look at these buildings from a public safety standpoint, through the fire marshal’s office,” said Managing Director Jack Gombach. “So looking at things like use of the building, how many people are there, safety codes, fire codes.”

City leaders say the goal is not just fines, but real enforcement.

“What it would ultimately do is give our emergency services team the ability to shut down the property and then potentially revoke their certificate of occupancy,” Gombach said.

That means a building could be shut down entirely until it meets safety standards.

“To pay a $200 fine doesn’t really do anything,” Gombach added.

But officials also want to be clear, this ordinance is not about businesses following the rules.

“The majority of the city are law-abiding…and they’re doing things the correct way,” Demko said.

The ordinance could be voted on within the next two weeks.