Charleston, SC—In a sweeping early morning operation that exposed the dark underbelly of cartel influence on U.S. soil, ICE agents and local law enforcement raided an underground nightclub known as “The Alamo,” netting 72 illegal aliens, including a Honduran fugitive wanted for murder.
The bust, part of “Operation Last Stand,” took place around 3 a.m. Sunday just outside Charleston and revealed a criminal den linked to the Cártel del Noreste (CDN)—a successor to the notorious Los Zetas cartel and officially designated as a terrorist organization by the Trump administration earlier this year.
A Den of Crime: What Authorities Found
The scene inside the club was described as chaotic and dangerous. Authorities rescued seven human trafficking victims, including a missing juvenile, and discovered minors as young as 13 drinking alcohol amid an environment laced with narcotics, weapons, and cartel cash.
The nightclub, hidden off Highway 78, was allegedly run by Benjamin Reyna-Flores, a suspected CDN member. Sheriff Carl Ritchie confirmed law enforcement had been watching the site since November, after noise complaints escalated into reports of assaults, gang activity, and trafficking.
“This was not just a club. This was a cartel afterparty, a command post for criminal activity, and a pipeline for illegal trafficking,” said Deputy Administrator Eric Watson.
Most Wanted: Murder Fugitive Nabbed
Among those arrested was Sergio Joel Galo-Baca, a Honduran illegal alien with an active INTERPOL Red Notice for homicide in Honduras. He had been hiding in plain sight, partying and recruiting underage individuals into criminal networks. Authorities consider his capture one of the most significant of the year.
Federal and State Response: Zero Tolerance
The operation was led by Homeland Security Investigations Charlotte with coordination from federal, state, and local agencies.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin lauded the raid as a turning point:
“Under President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem, fugitives and law-breakers are on notice: Leave now or ICE will find you and deport you.”
South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster echoed that sentiment, revealing that members of the violent Tren de Aragua gang were also among those taken into custody:
“This is what years of open borders got us. But now, things have changed. We will continue these operations until every last criminal is removed from our communities.”
A Warning to Cartels and Criminals Alike
Operation Last Stand sends a thunderous message: America is taking back control. The days of cartel strongholds operating in the shadows of U.S. cities are ending.
This raid not only shattered a major criminal network in South Carolina—it lit a fuse across the nation’s enforcement corridors. And the message is clear:
Cartels, traffickers, and fugitives beware. The party is over.
