In a sweeping law enforcement action early Sunday morning, an underground nightclub in Colorado Springs was the epicenter of a major DEA operation that saw the detainment of several active duty military service members, as reported by Denver7. Over 300 officers from at least 10 federal agencies, including the DEA, FBI, and Homeland Security, were involved. DEA Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen described the operation as a "safe operation."
The nightclub, identified as a hub for illicit activities such as drug trafficking and prostitution, contained an estimated 200 individuals at the time of the raid, and over 100 of those detained were, according to Fox21News, not legally present in the country; they have since been taken into ICE custody. The site was found to be disseminating drugs, including pink cocaine, with many individuals not fully understanding the consequences of engaging in such an underground culture that often comes marred with legal quandaries and violations spanning beyond personal vice.
Aside from those taken into ICE custody, local law enforcement authorities, such as El Paso County Sheriff's Office and the Colorado Springs Police, assisted in detaining other individuals on outstanding warrants, while some were simply turned away without detainment. In statements obtained by 9NEWS, Special Agent Pullen also hinted at the possibility of further operations in the area, considering the proactive measure might just be the beginning, as pending operations around Colorado Springs may result in more arrests.
According to the same 9NEWS report, the DEA's intervention at this underground club comes on the heels of a long-term investigation carried out by various federal agencies evidencing an ongoing commitment to disrupt illegal operations that stand in stark contrast to the rule of law, the specifics of these investigations have not been made public, and the full scope of the operation, including the ultimate fate of the detainees, remains, for the time being, undisclosed as the legal process unfolds in the days to come.
