Police go undercover to find Blue Bell restaurant serving liquor, beer with no license, according to reports

Following an anonymous complaint, officers from the Pennsylvania State Police, Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement, Allentown office, recently went undercover to find out if one local Korean restaurant was illegally serving alcohol in Blue Bell.

To Dam Gol Korean Restaurant, located at 1341 W. Township Line Road, in Blue Bell was visited by undercover police on multiple occasions including March 27, April 24, and May 22, all of 2024, according to police reports. Each time, the undercover officers ordered alcohol with their meals, including 750mL bottles of Charm Soju Korean liquor and Coors Light 12-ounce bottles. Each time, police reported, they were served the drinks.

According to reports, the bill for each dining experience included one additional “food item” than what was ordered. The added item accounted for the charge for either beer or liquor.

Police said each drink was served from the bottle, with a shot or small glass, and, on one of the occasions, a bag to take remaining liquor home. Per reports, the restaurant was consistently charging $10 for each bottle of Soju and $4 for each Coors Light bottle at each visit. The beverages were not listed on a menu, but could be ordered, according to police.

Dong Hee Lee, 41, of the 6000 block of North Philip Street in Philadelphia, told police, according to their reports, that he was the restaurant’s manager. He also admitted to being the one to decide to start selling Soju and Coors Light, police said. D.H. Lee is the brother of the owner Ockkyong Lee, who was also aware of the sales, reports stated. D.H. Lee told police that he’d been selling the alcoholic beverages for the past three to four months, according to police.

Police followed up visits and the interview with Lee by emailing the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) to determine if the restaurant or owner was permitted to sell such beverages via a liquor license. The PLCB told police that there was not now nor between Jan. 1, 2024 and July 22, 2024, in the possession of a liquor license for the To Dam Gol Korean Restaurant. D.H. Lee also did not possess a license to sell alcohol on the same dates.

D.H. Lee is charged with conspiracy to permit unlawful sales of liquor, conspiracy to offer unlicensed malt or brewed beverages on premises, the unlawful sale of liquor, and the unlicensed sale of malt or brewed beverages on the premises. A preliminary hearing on the four charges is scheduled for Sept. 5 at 11:30 a.m. before Magisterial District Judge Suzan Leonard.

All suspects and defendants are innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records.