LOS ANGELES (BN240 — Federal immigration agents raided an underground nightclub in El Monte, California, arresting nine people living in the U.S. illegally and seizing drugs and thousands of fraudulent gift cards tied to an international financial scheme, authorities said.
The operation, carried out July 19 by ICE Homeland Security Investigations’ El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, targeted what officials described as a hub for Asian organized crime in Southern California.
Agents executed a federal search warrant and detained 66 individuals at the nightclub. Nine were determined to be in the country illegally — seven from China, one from Malaysia and one from Mexico — and are now in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.
In addition to the arrests, agents confiscated narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and a box filled with thousands of re-encoded gift cards that investigators believe were linked to money laundering and fraud.
“The HSI El Camino Real Task Force is unwavering in its commitment to dismantling illegal operations, as exemplified by our recent execution of a search warrant on an underground nightclub operated by Asian organized crime,” said Acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Al Rossi.
Since March, investigators have been tracking Asian organized crime groups suspected of extorting warehouse-based nightclubs in the Los Angeles region. Officials say these clubs serve as venues for smuggling and money laundering, as well as distribution points for drugs including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy.
The investigation involved multiple federal agencies, including the DEA, FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Authorities say the case remains active as they continue to pursue the criminal networks behind the nightclub operations.
Source: Ice.Gov
