Federal immigration agents uncovered an alleged gift card scam scheme after it apprehended nine illegal immigrants at an underground night club in California.
Of the nine illegals detained, seven were from China, while one was from Malaysia and one was from Mexico, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said.
A task force under the agency’s Homeland Security Investigations last month executed a search warrant and also found drugs and “a box containing thousands of reencoded gift cards suspected to be part of a financial scheme.”
An underground California night club bust takes nine illegal aliens into custody with drug and scammed gift card seizures.
Officials believe these clubs are centers for international drug trafficking, smuggling and money laundering, and — facilitated by Asian organized crime —… pic.twitter.com/QKAPtcPJwn
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) August 19, 2025
The task force has focused on organized crime committed by Asian groups in Southern California.
“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,” the task force’s acting Assistant Special Agent in Charge Al Rossi said in a statement. “HSI will persist in its rigorous investigations of illegal activities and steadfastly enforce immigration laws whenever violations are uncovered.”
According to ICE, law enforcement believes underground nightclubs are a hotspot for money laundering and drug trafficking, including cocaine, ketamine and ecstasy, by Asian gangs.
ICE’s Los Angeles bureau also apprehended 36 illegals at an underground nightclub in May, Fox News reported.
