Special agents with the NC Alcohol Law Enforcement (ALE) arrested more than 123 people for alcohol, drug, firearm, and gambling charges across the state Friday and Saturday.
The Hot Spot Mart, a Triad convenient store in Haw River, was raided for operating as an illegal casino, ALE said in a news release.
Video gaming machines, liquor, and over $10,000 in cash were seized from the store.
“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.”
Eight search warrants were executed across the state over the weekend.
During the operation, 14 firearms were seized including rifles, handguns, and sawed-off shotguns.
Numerous types of drugs were also seized, along with two illegal distilleries and over $13,000 in cash.
ALE helped Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police in the arrest of Club Nikki owner Cory Headen and three employees in connection with a shooting and homicide at the club last month.
In Person County, two people were arrested for selling and making moonshine.
One of the people arrested was a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The Freedom Lounge, an ABC-licensed club with a history of violence, had its permits revoked by special agents in Charlotte.
The operations were held in the following counties: Alamance, Guilford, Wilson, Nash, Franklin, Person, Wake, Pender, New Hanover, Craven, Iredell, Buncombe, Mecklenburg, and Cumberland.
ALE special agents will now submit violation reports to the ABC commission for criminal and regulatory violations at 26 ABC-permitted businesses.
Violations could result in fines, suspensions, or revocation of ABC permits.
Editor's Note: A previous version of this story labeled the Hot Spot Mart as a Greensboro store. The SBI confirmed the business is actually located in Haw River.
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