CHARLOTTE, N.C. — **EDITOR'S NOTE: The club owner's name was removed from this article because charges were dropped against them**
Club Nikki owner and three employees were arrested in connection with a shooting and homicide at Club Nikki in early 2019, officials say.
ALE special agents assisted Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department with the arrest at the club on Little Rock Road.
This case was one of many in a statewide operation -- more than 123 people were arrested by ALE special agents on Friday and Saturday night. The charges were related to alcohol, drugs, firearms, and gambling.
In the state-wide crackdown, eight districts targeted violence and illegal activity anywhere alcohol was sold – legally or illegally.
“ALE’s primary mission is to protect public safety, so we apply considerable resources to regularly train the owners and staff of ABC permitted establishments to help them understand and obey North Carolina law,” said Bryan House, acting Head of North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement. “But when those laws are purposefully violated, the health and safety of our communities is at risk. To address these violators, we won’t hesitate to use all available manpower as we did this past weekend.”
After eight search warrants across the state, 14 guns were seized including rifles, handguns and sawed-off shotguns. Officials also seized controlled substances, including two illegal distilleries and more than $13,000 cash.
Of the 237 charges, officials say 93 were related to alcohol, 77 to drugs and six to gambling.
In Person County, two were arrested for making and selling moonshine; one was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
Additionally, The Freedom Lounge, an ABC-licensed club with a history of violence and criminal activity, had its permits revoked by special agents in Charlotte.
In Greensboro, special agents raided the Hot Spot Mart, a convenience store operating as an illegal casino. Video gaming machines, liquor, and over $10,000 cash were seized.
ALE agents will also submit violation reports to the ABC commission for violations at 26 different businesses -- these could result in fines, suspensions or cancellation of permits.
The operation was held in the following counties, in addition to others not listed: Alamance, Guilford, Wilson, Nash, Franklin, Person, Wake, Pender, New Hanover, Craven, Iredell, Buncombe, Mecklenburg, and Cumberland.
