CHARLESTON COUNTY, S.C. —

The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has charged two men after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement raid at a "cartel-run" nightclub resulted in the arrests of more than 70 people.

In the early morning hours of June 1, ICE raided a nightclub run by a suspected member of the Los Zetas cartel during an operation in Summerville, South Carolina.

Los Zetas, now formally recognized as Cártel del Noreste (CDN) was formally designated a terrorist organization by the Trump administration in February 2025.

Before the operation, ICE received a tip that "El Alamo VIP", an underground illegal nightclub, was the location of weapons, narcotics, and human trafficking.

The operation led to the arrests of 72 people, including some with serious prior offenses, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

Authorities said six juveniles were also recovered and turned over to state social services for protection and care.

One of the most high-profile arrests during the raid was Sergio Joel Galo-Baca. HSI said Galo-Baca is a foreign fugitive with an active Interpol Red Notice for homicide in Honduras.

During the raid, authorities encountered 44-year-old Terone Lavince Lawson, who was a security guard for the nightclub.

SLED said Lawson was observed selling drugs while he was under surveillance.

Authorities found the following inside Lawson's vehicle:

According to SLED, Lawson had been previously convicted of second-degree burglary (violent) in 2008 and assault and battery of a high and aggravated nature in 2003, which bars him from owning a firearm.

On June 5, SLED charged Lawson with the following:

Lawson was booked into the Charleston County Detention Center under a $110,000 bond.

On June 1, SLED charged 59-year-old Benjamin Reyna Flores-Rosales with the following:

Authorities did not state what Flores' role was at the nightclub.

Flores is being held in the Charleston County Detention Center under an ICE detainer.

According to SLED, both arrests are part of an active investigation involving allegations of human trafficking, narcotics, and other crimes at El Alamo VIP.

SLED worked in partnership with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office.

The case will be prosecuted by the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office.

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said, "Under President Trump and Secretary Noem, fugitives and law breakers are on notice: Leave now or ICE will find you and deport you."

A grab-n-go New York-style delicatessen and bakery in downtown Summerville has only been open a month, but is already drawing lines of customers hungry for its authentic Italian sandwiches, salads, entrees and baked goods.

Customers at Nonna’s Olde World Italian Deli and Specialties can even find the real-life “Nonna,” the restaurant’s namesake grandmother, Angela Riccio, 83, in the back making meatballs.

The new venture is owned by Richard Riccio, who operated similar delis in New York and New Jersey and who moved to the area in December with wife Phyllis Riccio. The couple visited the area often and had always planned to retire in the Lowcountry.

“We saw there was nothing like this deli down here and we sped up 'retirement' a little," she said. They found the location on South Main Street after an online search.

The restaurant stands apart by using the Riccio's family recipes, passed down for generations.

“His family has had bakeries since 1922," she said.

Nonna's features imported ingredients with house-made mozzarella, sauces and freshly baked bread. Customers can choose between hot and cold sandwiches with names like “The Sinatra,” “Hoboken” and “Dean Martin” along with pasta-forward Italian entrees. The restaurant also offers platters and catering options.

While there isn’t a dining area, customers can enjoy their meal at nearby Hutchinson Square. There is often a line of customers spilling out the door beneath the restaurant's prominent Italian flag.

“We're humbled by its popularity. We thought it would be busy, but not to this extent,” Phyllis Riccio said. “We’re very happy.”

Nonna’s Olde World Italian Deli and Specialties is open from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

New Aldi

Mount Pleasant will see its second Aldi soon.

The discount grocer confirmed a summer opening for its location at 3153 Highway 17 near the KOA campground.

Last week, Mount Pleasant Town Council member Daniel Brownstein posted on social media that the target opening date is June 25 following final inspections.

First opened in Germany in 1961, Aldi has a U.S. headquarters in Illinois and operates more than 2,000 stores across 36 states. Its new Mount Pleasant location will be its eighth in the Charleston area.

Ramen on Reynolds

A pop-up ramen noodle restaurant that has had residencies at Sweatman's Garden and Estadio looks to be eyeing its own brick-and-mortar in North Charleston.

Weems Ramen recently applied for a state permit to sell beer, wine and liquor for on-premise consumption at 1921 Reynolds Ave. The colorful building at Sutton Square previously housed The Barbeque Joint and is still painted with a mural.

More pickleball

PickleRage, an indoor pickleball club franchise, is slated to open a location in late 2025 in the recently purchased Festival Centre.

The 40,195-square-foot venue will include 13 indoor joint-friendly cushioned courts with a pro shop selling equipment and apparel.

A range of programs, lessons and clinics will be offered, and the club also plans to host community events.

Festival Centre was purchased in 2024 by locally based Woodlock Capital, which plans to reimagine the aging 330,000-square-foot shopping center into an entertainment destination.

Boutique closes

A longtime Charleston boutique near the College of Charleston has shuttered its downtown doors.

House of Sage, which had a location on George Street for more than 5 years, announced the closing in February and hinted that there may be a new location.

The retailer has two other locations on Daniel Island and in West Ashley, which remain open. The boutique is owed by husband and wife duo Chris and Erin Abagnale.

SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (WCSC) - An 85-acre property dedicated to serving and supporting generations of adults with developmental disabilities will soon see a shift in its structure and resources, opening an opportunity for hundreds to lay their heads and receive care.

The Coastal Center is one of five regional support facilities offered by the South Carolina Department of Disabilities and Special Needs. The property, located off of Miles Jamison Road in Summerville, is home to more than 120 residents and has served others for generations.

State legislators and Lowcountry leaders made the first step in “turning the dirt” for a project on Friday to use a portion of $153.8 million in state funding to upgrade buildings and introduce new amenities.

Lisa Morelli serves as President of the Parents and Guardians Association, which includes family members who have loved ones living on the property due to a disability. Her brother is an active resident.

“As parents, guardians and siblings, we are on campus quite a bit. When you are on campus and you see things like the plumbing needs updating, or a roof needs to be updated, you immediately understand the livability for our siblings and loved ones needs to be improved,” Morelli said.

The groundbreaking comes one year after the center pushed at the state capital for help with “long-awaited” construction and changes to the facility, which was built in the 1960s.

Senator Sean Bennett believes the age of the building and its location led locals and statewide leaders to forget about the center’s existence, which drove it further into crisis.

“I came to visit and saw some of the conditions of some of the cottages out here, I was appalled,” Senator Sean Bennett said. “Children would have soccer games and tee ball games, and the community would participate in this place. It’s been kind of, almost, shut off.”

The multi-million-dollar renovations will include at least 17 buildings on the campus. This includes improvements to HVAC, fire safety, electrical systems, communications, new equipment and technology.

Any money not used out of the jar will go to improving conditions at the four other regional facilities in the state.

Facility Administrator John Dooney said he joined the team as a retired Navy veteran, insistent on fulfilling a purpose of caring for others.

“We’re it. The residents who live here, we take care of them. That’s a part of it, health and safety and improving their quality of life,” Dooney said.

Dooney expects the renovations to expand resident capacity by 20% and to provide room for job opportunities. The center employs roughly 300 full-time staff members and an undisclosed number of volunteers.

The group emphasized how the facility is more than simply caring for the people inside.

“This is their home. This is not an outpatient facility, this is not a hospital. The folks that live here are a part of the community. They have challenges, they have special needs, but they are still a part of the community,” Bennett said.

“Their survival is by our hands. They cannot care for themselves, they cannot feed themselves, they cannot cool themselves. My sister is 81 years old and her survival rate is by the help given by our hands,” Annette Green said.

A walkup window ice cream shop with outdoor-only patio seating has opened in Summerville, offering two dozen handcrafted flavors every day.

Husband-and-wife duo Neil and Michelle Mazuranic came up with the idea to open a Bruster’s Real Ice Cream franchise, inspired by the location they frequented when they lived in Maryland.

“We wanted to do something that makes people happy and everybody who comes in to get ice cream is happy,” said Neil Mazuranic, a retired Army officer.

Bruster’s offers an oat milk-based non-dairy treat option, sherbet, sorbet, Italian ice, and ice cream cakes and pies to-go.

The Mazuranics hired 20 employees to staff the location, specifically choosing teenagers who have not previously held a job so they could learn about customer service and food service.

First started in 1989 offering small-batch ice cream, Bruster’s now has nearly 200 independently owned stores in 22 states and Guyana.

The Mazuranics were awarded the franchise for the Charleston market and plan to open additional locations.

Bruster’s is located at 143 Berkeley Circle near Azalea Square and is open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. daily. Flavors are updated daily online.

Parker’s plans

Parker’s Kitchen has submitted its final site design approval to the Town of Mount Pleasant for what will be its first East Cooper location.

The convenience store and gas station is slated for the corner of George Browder Boulevard and U.S. Highway 17, near the intersection of Park West Boulevard.

Plans submitted to the town's Design Review Board show the Savannah-based chain’s signature Southern-style architecture with awnings and decorative lanterns.

Parker's opened its newest store on April 25 in Summerville.

Breakfast and books

Breakfast and brunch restaurant Ruby Sunshine in West Ashley will host a kids pop-up book sale May 3 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., in partnership with local nonprofit Charleston Friends of the Library.

Children will receive free bookmark-making kits and families can shop a selection of children's books with proceeds benefiting the library's programming.

Three local children’s book authors will be in attendance and sign copies of their work.

So long, Dolly

An ice cream shop and bubble and liege waffle bar has closed after just over a year.

The Dolly Llama Waffle Master, a local operator of the national franchise, went dark this spring in the Wando Crossing Shopping Center.

There was no announcement about the closing on the store’s social media pages. The space is now currently for lease.

Baked in

Grit Bakery is now open at Meeting and Huger streets selling fresh baked sweet and savory pastries, sourdough loafs and baguettes, drip coffee and cold brew.

It's open Wednesday-Friday from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m.–1 p.m. There’s free parking in the nearby Meeting Street Lofts garage.

Sip and Smoke

King's Leaf Cigars, a cigar lounge and separate beer and wine bar, will open its fifth Charleston-area location on May 3 in the Point Hope Commons shopping center off Clements Ferry Road.

The lounge features an air filtration system and a custom-built humidor. A grand opening celebration from 3-7 p.m. will feature cigar and beer pairings with Rusty Bull Brewing.

Bling Bling

A Columbia-based jewelry store that offers permanent jewelry welding services has opened at 835 Coleman Blvd in Mount Pleasant.

Sugar & Lola sells 14k and gold-filled chains, birthstones, initials and unique charms and more. It's open Monday–Friday from 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Leasing is now open for The Charles, a luxury residential development nearing completion in downtown Charleston's Harleston Village.

Developed and managed by The Beach Co., the 15 three-story townhomes and eight flats are at Broad and Barre streets, next to The Jasper and overlooking the Ashley River.

Floorplans are a mix of two- and three-bedrooms with private street-level entrances. Rates weren't immediately available.

The development harkens to the historic aspects of the neighborhood with handcrafted wrought iron gates, brick verandas, mahogany doors and copper lanterns. Dan Doyle, president of The Beach Co., said the first residents are expected to move in "later this year.”

Tenants will have access to the deluxe amenities next door at The Jasper, including a rooftop pool, fitness areas, locker rooms with showers and saunas, private wine storage and a demonstration kitchen with catering space for private events.

One in 58 million

A New York real estate investor has purchased a 288-unit multifamily community in Summerville, for $58.5 million, or $203,125 on a per-key basis.

URS Capital Partners, under the name 1005 Sonoran LLC, closed on its acquisition of The Palms At Edgewater, on April 21, according to Dorchester County land records filed earlier this month.

The 24-acre rental complex is at 1005 Sonoran Circle, near Highway 17A and Dorchester Road. It was constructed in 2023 and includes typical apartment amenities, such as a pool, fitness center and pickleball court.

Floorplans include one- to three-bedroom units ranging from 778 to 1,200 square feet. Monthly rental rates start at $1,371.

The builder and seller was a North Carolina-based joint venture operating as SV Developers LLC.

Safety first

Berkeley County has opened its new Goose Creek Magistrate and Public Safety Substation.

The 12,102-square-foot building is at 652 Red Bank Road. It will house county magistrate services as well as outposts for emergency medical services and the sheriff's office.

The new substation also has three courtrooms, each with jury boxes. Three judges, six clerks, three constables, two bailiffs and a security officer will be assigned to the site.

To mark the opening, the city unveiled an official goose statue through its Adopt-A-Goose arts program rather than cut a ribbon.

Fill 'er up

A national real estate financing firm has snapped up the final vacay in a small downtown Charleston office building.

Colliers said it rencpresented the landlord, 2783 Atlantic Owners, in leasing 2,625 square feet of space to Berkadia Commercial Mortgage at 121 Calhoun St., just east of Meeting Street.

With the transaction, the 7,450-square-foot property next to the Courtyard Charleston Historic District hotel has reached full occupancy.

New York-based Berkadia will occupy the second floor. The firm provides lending, investment and property research services.

The building's first floor is home to bridal boutique White Magnolia, while the third is occupied by content creation group Creators Corner.