Alabama Cops Arrest 18 Strippers for Disrobing Without the Proper License

More occupational licensing madness, this time in Alabama: 

An early-morning bust at a Birmingham nightclub led to the arrests of 18 dancers and their manager.

The Birmingham Police Department's vice and narcotics team raided the Black Magic Club on Lomb Avenue just after midnight, making more than two dozens arrests total and seizing drugs and guns, police said today.

Police targeted the club after receiving complaints about illegal nude dancers and other illegal activity at the club, said vice and narcotics Lt. Ron Sellers.

Officers did surveillance on the business, and put undercover officers inside the club before carrying out this morning's operation.

The dancers and the club manager were arrested for doing business without a license. Sellers said dancers are licensed to work at a specific club, and these dancers were not licensed for the Black Magic Club. "A lot of these places bring dancers in from outside of Birmingham," Sellers said.

The Institute for Justice released a depressing report on the evils of occupational licensing earlier this month. Among IJ's findings: "States consider an average of 33 days of training and two exams enough preparation for EMTs, but demand 10 times the training—372 days, on average—for cosmetologists." 

CNBC wrote up IJ's report last week. 

Read more on occupational licensing from Reason and the policy team at the Reason Foundation.