6 days ago
ICE crashes a 'cartel party' at South Carolina club and arrests 72 illegal migrants
The Department of Homeland Security crashed a 'cartel party' in South Carolina, arresting 72 illegal migrants, including one high-profile arrest.
Officials swarmed The Alamo, an underground illegal nightclub, near Charleston early Sunday morning after a source tipped them off, the federal agency said in a statement.
The Kristi Noem-led organization claimed the nightclub was run by a suspected member of the Los Zetas Cartel, formerly known as the Cártel del Noreste, which was deemed a terrorist organization by the Trump Administration in February 2025.
At least one high-profile arrest was made during the raid, with authorities claiming to have captured Sergio Joel Galo-Baca, a Honduran fugitive who is wanted for homicide in his native country and has an Interpol Red Notice against him.
The agency said 71 others were also arrested, including individuals with 'serious prior offenses.'
Of those arrested, 66 were in the US illegally and five had criminal warrants, Security Investigations Special Agent in Charge, Cardell Morant, told ABC News 4.
According to the federal agency, six juveniles were also recovered and turned over to social services.
Charleston County Sheriff Carl Ritchie told ABC News 4 that the youngest was 13 and one of the juveniles had been reported missing. Some of the minors are also suspected of being victims of human trafficking, he said.
Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the raid not only dismantled the illegal nightclub, but also uncovered drugs, weapons, and human trafficking that was taking place.
'Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, fugitives and lawbreakers are on notice: Leave now or ICE will find you and deport you,' she said in a statement.
More than 200 people were at the club on Sunday night.
'Put your hands up, put your f**king hands up,' an agent can be heard yelling in a video posted to social media.
Armed officers were seen moving through the nightclub as partygoers frightfully put their hands up.
'The leftover adrenaline hasn't let me sleep,' Destiny Tinoco, who posted the videos, wrote on Facebook.
'The rush of fear, panic, anxiety, and terror was palpable throughout. The huge mob of people, including myself and some friends, holding hands, running for our lives and having no idea of what was happening or what was going to happen to us was horrible.'
Tinoco claimed Homeland Security agents were complaining their computers were backlogged and immigration status couldn't be checked properly.
The Kristi Noem-led organization claimed the nightclub was run by a suspected member of the Los Zetas Cartel, formerly known as the Cártel del Noreste, which was deemed a terrorist organization by the Trump Administration in February 2025
'Citizenship statuses not being able to be verified resulting in people being arrested straight away. With no verification of status,' she claimed. 'I was immediately at a loss for words. The lack of patience and empathy left me speechless.'
Tinoco was able to leave the nightclub with her friends unharmed, and she claimed she - and many others - had no idea the establishment was illegal.
Another witness, David Herrera, told Live 5 News that partygoers were held for up to two hours.
'I saw dancing, I saw people smiling, having a good time. And then boom. It all went to chaos,' he told the outlet. 'People were coming up to them, saying: "I have kids at home."'
Herrera also felt the tension while ICE and other agencies gathered information from attendees.
'No one was leaving until they got exactly what they wanted, which was as much information on anyone as possible. I almost felt like I had to prove I wasn't committing a crime and that I wasn't illegal to be let out,' he said.
has reached out to Tinoco and Herrera for comment.
The Alamo's owner, Benjamin Reyna-Flores, a suspect gang member, was also arrested and is currently in the custody of the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division and ICE, ABC News 4 reported.
Partygoers said agents were checking ID and held attendees for up to two hours
He now faces state and federal charges.
Authorities began investigating The Alamo back in November after the establishment received noise complaints and had 'other illegal activity' happening in the parking lot, Ritchie said.
Agents rolled up to the party with 116 arrest warrants and the majority of them were served.
