NEW YORK CIGAR BARS RAIDED

NEW YORK (AP) - Federal agents raided a men's club and one of the city's
pricier restaurants where they said customers were sold banned Cuban cigars
along with cocktails and dinner.

Seven people were arrested in the raids on the Racquet & Tennis Club and at
Patroon, a pricey restaurant, authorities said Thursday. Both are in
Manhattan.

Among those charged were club manager Robert Gressler, Patroon owner
Kenneth Aretsky, and Alex Hasbany, manager of Patroon's cigar room.

The three are accused of illegally buying Cuban cigars in violation of the
``Trading with the Enemy Act,'' which carries a maximum of 10 years in
prison and a $100,000 fine.

At Patroon, agents seized numerous cases of cigars from a waist-high wooden
cabinet in a temperature-controlled humidor.

Also arrested Wednesday and Thursday were four buyers of the cigars,
including a bank executive, who were willing to pay $395 for a box of
Montecris No. 1 and $825 per box for Cohiba Esplendidos.

All were released on their own recognizance after a brief court appearance.

U.S. Customs Special Agent Timothy Flood stated in a complaint that agents
were led to Manhattan when they tailed a shipment of Cuban cigars to a man
and woman living in Connecticut.

The couple agreed to cooperate by turning over customer lists and the woman
wore hidden recording devices while selling cigars at Patroon and the club,
authorities said. She got around the club's men-only rule by attending a
charity event, authorities said.

Records showed that Aretsky and Hasbany bought 70 boxes containing 1,750
Cuban cigars at a cost of $36,960 between May 1997 and February 1998, Flood
said.

Checked-by: (Joel W. Johnson)