More than 100 individuals, allegedly residing in the United States illegally, were detained in Colorado Springs following an overnight raid on what authorities described as an underground nightclub located in a strip mall.
The Special Agent in Charge at the DEA’s Rocky Mountain Division, Jonathan C. Pullen, addressed the media on Sunday morning, revealing the scope of the illegal activities.
“What was happening inside was significant drug trafficking, prostitution, crimes of violence,” Pullen said. “We seized a number of guns in there.”
The operation also uncovered that over a dozen active-duty military members were present at the club during the raid. Federal officials reported that some of the service members were involved in the illicit operation.
“We had active-duty service members who were running security at the club and involved in some of these crimes,” Pullen stated.
Authorities discovered drugs inside the venue, including cocaine and a substance known as “pink cocaine” or “tusi,” Pullen added.
The DEA, alongside partner agencies, had been monitoring the club for months. Pullen mentioned that the operation had involved extensive surveillance of drug trafficking, prostitution, and the presence of suspected members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, MS-13, and the Hells Angels.
“I don’t have the information about whether those members were there tonight, but we’re still working through a lot of that, because we have so many people in custody,” he said.
Pullen concluded, “Colorado Springs is waking up to a safer city this Sunday morning.”
The raid saw the participation of hundreds of agents from over ten federal agencies. These included the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the Department of Homeland Security and local law enforcement.
The DEA communicated their presence to the club’s occupants, instructing them to exit the building, and agents from multiple agencies assisted in carrying out the operation, as announced on X.
According to the DEA, around 200 people were inside the club during the raid, and at least 114 were believed to be in the U.S. illegally. Additionally, over a dozen active-duty military personnel were among the patrons or security staff at the venue.
Those suspected of being in the U.S. illegally were taken into custody by ICE, while the military personnel were transferred to the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division.
Video footage released by the DEA showed federal officers breaking a large window to enter the building as people fled through the door, only to be intercepted by additional armed agents.
Another video depicted agents instructing people from outside, “This is the police with a search warrant demanding entry. Exit the front door one at a time with nothing in your hands, held high above your head.” The message was also broadcast in Spanish.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi shared on X that two individuals had been arrested on outstanding warrants during the raid, stating, “Trump’s directive to make America safe again is achieving results!”
CNN has reached out to ICE for additional details regarding the Colorado Springs operation.
A spokesperson from the Army Criminal Investigations Division confirmed to CNN that they are conducting a joint investigation with the DEA, which is leading the operation.
However, the spokesperson declined to provide further details, as the investigation remains ongoing.
President Donald Trump took to TruthSocial to commend the raid, claiming that it targeted some of the most dangerous individuals in the country, who he alleged judges were hesitant to deport.
Alongside a video of agents entering the building, Trump posted, “A big Raid last night on some of the worst people illegally in our Country — Drug Dealers, Murderers, and other Violent Criminals, of all shapes and sizes, and Judges don’t want to send them back to where they came from. If we don’t win this battle at the Supreme Court, our Country, as we know it, is FINISHED! It will be a Crime-ridden MESS. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade, an independent, praised the effort on Sunday, asserting, “Criminal activity of any kind, from anyone, will not be tolerated in Colorado Springs. This investigation and the execution of these warrants are the result of clear evidence of serious criminal conduct.”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, expressed his support for efforts to combat illegal drugs and firearms, saying in a statement to CNN affiliate KRDO, “Governor Polis is focused on making Colorado safer for everyone, and that includes cracking down on illegal drugs and firearms. We await the details from the DEA and federal government on this action.”
The Trump administration’s mass deportation program has faced legal challenges. Earlier this month, the Supreme Court paused deportations under the Alien Enemies Act.
Meanwhile, the Justice Department has continued to assert that it will investigate any local officials who refuse to assist federal authorities with immigration enforcement.
Just last week, a Milwaukee County Circuit Judge was charged with allegedly helping an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest, in what was seen as a message to the judiciary to avoid obstructing immigration enforcement.
