Baltimore County officials are looking into reports that an Arbutus food business may be operating without a permit.

Kaila’s Cafe at 5313 East Drive was ordered by the county code enforcement office in May last year to cease operating, according to office staff.

Shortly before 1 a.m. on Sept. 28 last week, however, county police reported seeing lights on inside the cafe and an “open” sign on the door.

The sign read “knock if door locked” and included a telephone number, according to the police report.

Police also noted that the cafe’s service window was open and the business owner, Kevin Ukueku, and three other men were inside, including two who were drinking from paper cups.

Ukueku, who told police he lives in the cafe’s basement, declined to comment for this article.

The business was ordered closed because the owner had failed to renew a food facility permit, according to Bill Clarke, a spokesman for the Department of Environmental Protection and Resource Management.

“It is not a sanitation issue or a health issue,” Clarke said.

“If he is opening routinely, he is doing so in defiance of the order of the Baltimore County code enforcement hearing officer and this department regarding his obligations for a permit, permit fees and penalties,” he said.

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