This screenshot from a video posted on X by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Rocky Mountain Division shows law enforcement officers raiding a nightclub in Colorado Springs.
Drug Enforcement Administration Rocky Mountain Division
hide caption
toggle caption
Drug Enforcement Administration Rocky Mountain Division
In a coordinated effort in Colorado Springs, law enforcement authorities successfully detained over 100 undocumented immigrants after a strategic raid on a nightclub. This operation was spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) alongside other agencies.
The DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division announced on X that 114 individuals were apprehended during the operation. The agency stated that the detainees were “placed on buses for processing and likely eventual deportation.” More details can be found in their official post.
An earlier announcement from the DEA highlighted the multi-agency raid’s success in confiscating drugs and weapons at the “underground nightclub” on Sunday morning.
This raid marks one of the most significant single-day immigration enforcement actions since the beginning of Trump’s presidency, which has been characterized by vows of extensive deportations.
Footage shared by the DEA depicted agents smashing a glass window to gain entry, prompting patrons to exit the venue where officers, some armed, were positioned. Commands were issued for individuals to stop and assume non-threatening positions, resulting in many raising their hands or lying down.
Authorities emphasized that multiple warnings were given to those inside the premises before action was taken. With over 200 people reportedly present, arrests commenced around 3:45 a.m. local time.
Attorney General Pam Bondi commented on social media that the venue was a known hotspot for “Tda and MS-13 terrorists,” referencing the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, a focus of the current administration’s deportation efforts. For more on this gang, see the detailed report.
While NPR could not independently confirm the detainees’ legal status or any gang affiliations, Bondi noted the arrest of two individuals on existing warrants and the confiscation of substances including “cocaine, meth, and pink cocaine.”
DEA Special Agent in Charge Jonathan Pullen described, in a video interview, the illegal activities within the club, citing “significant drug trafficking, prostitution, crimes of violence,” and the seizure of numerous firearms.
Pullen also mentioned that over a dozen active service members were present at the club, either as patrons or employed as armed security personnel.
This article was originally written by www.npr.org
