ICE arrests 9 illegal aliens and seizes drugs, scammed gift cards at underground nightclub in California

LOS ANGELES — ICE Homeland Security Investigations' El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force arrested nine illegal aliens while executing a search warrant on an underground nightclub in El Monte on July 19. Agents also seized narcotics, drug paraphernalia, and a box containing thousands of reencoded gift cards suspected to be part of a financial scheme.

"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 the task force’s acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Al Rossi. "HSI will persist in its rigorous investigations of illegal activities and steadfastly enforce immigration laws whenever violations are uncovered."

Under the warrant’s authority, federal agents searched and questioned 66 individuals. Seven of those in the United States illegally were from the People's Republic of China; one was from Malaysia, and one was from Mexico. Each is currently in ICE custody pending removal proceedings.

Since March, the team has focused on Asian organized crime in the Los Angeles area, suspecting these groups of extorting underground nightclubs in warehouses. Officials believe these clubs are centers for international drug trafficking, smuggling and money laundering, and — facilitated by Asian organized crime — they supply cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy.

HSI’s El Camino Real Financial Crimes Task Force, a multiagency task force that includes federal and state investigators focused on financial crimes in Southern California, investigated this case in partnership with the DEA, the FBI and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.