An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid dubbed "Operation Last Stand" over the weekend resulted in the arrests of over 70 illegal immigrants at a nightclub that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said was run by a suspected member of the Los Zetas Cartel in South Carolina.
The DHS said in a press release that prior to the operation, ICE had received information from a source about the underground illegal club The Alamo being the location of narcotics, weapons, and human trafficking. During the early Sunday raid, ICE agents seized cash, narcotics, and firearms.
Per WCIV, the raid took place at around 3 am Sunday morning at the Summerville club, located around 30 minutes from Charleston, South Carolina. The raid involved around 200 federal, state, and local authorities.
Overall, 72 arrests were made, which included illegal immigrants with serious prior offenses. An additional 6 juveniles were turned over to state social services for care.
Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge Cardell Morant said that around 200 people had gathered at the club for a "cartel afterparty." Morant said, "This operation was not just about immigration enforcement, it was about restoring order."
Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie said that two of those arrested were "high level cartel members" affiliated with Los Zetas and Tren de Aragua. Los Zetas, formally recognized as Cártel del Noreste, was designated a terrorist organization by the Trump Administration in February 2025.
Another person arrested had an Interpol Red Notice. The man, Sergio Joel Galo-Baca, is a murder suspect from Honduras.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement, "Day in and day out, the brave men and women of ICE are working with local law enforcement to keep American communities safe. The successful operation that took place in the Charleston area resulted in more than 70 arrests of illegal aliens—including an international murder suspect and the dismantling of a nightclub run by a suspected cartel member where drug, weapon, and human trafficking were taking place. Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, fugitives and law breakers are on notice: Leave now or ICE will find you and deport you."
