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The early hours of Friday marked the abrupt end of activity at "La Lunita," a popular bar-café located in the west of Hialeah that, according to authorities, operated as a front for a extensive criminal network involved in the illegal sale of alcohol, drugs, and underground gambling.
What many residents had been describing for months as a “constant problem” ended up becoming a massive operation that culminated in 14 arrests, the intervention of several federal agencies, and the immediate closure of the establishment, which is now undergoing an administrative and criminal process.
The operation, dubbed "Operation Fallen Moon", brought together the Hialeah Police, agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), undercover investigators, and officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The police raid, supported by active arrest warrants, uncovered what authorities described as an illicit operation in plain sight, camouflaged under the guise of a well-known and popular neighborhood bar.
A surgical operation after weeks of complaints
The police had been following up on the establishment after numerous neighborhood complaints and news reports that alerted them to fights, disturbances, and criminal activity in the area.
Sources from CBS News Miami confirmed that they had been "investigating" the location for "weeks," particularly after a shooting that occurred in the parking lot about a month ago.
At 6:00 a.m. on Friday, several units coordinated their entry into La Lunita, where at that moment a DJ was playing music and about 35 people were inside.
The agents surrounded the establishment, confiscated gaming machines, and proceeded to arrest workers and customers who were allegedly part of the illegal operation.
Telemundo 51 confirmed that the operation concluded with 14 arrests, including the bar owner, and that inside, drugs, illegal alcohol, and accounting documentation detailing payments for prohibited gaming machines were found.
Manager, assistant manager, guard, "Chicas B," and active orders: The range of detentions
Univision expanded the list of those arrested: the manager, the assistant manager, a security guard identified by special agents as an active narcotics distributor, and two waitresses known as “Chicas B,” allegedly employed to attract customers and promote the consumption of beverages.
The police also found individuals with outstanding arrest warrants and others in possession of controlled substances.
Among those arrested were individuals accused of operating a criminal network that combined drug trafficking, illegal alcohol sales, underground gambling, and alleged activities involving the exploitation of women employed at the bar.
During the intervention, the agents found accounting books that recorded payments, transactions, and the rental of gaming machines, pieces that are now part of the file being compiled to support broader charges.
A history of violence and chaos that the neighbors had been reporting for months
The operation surprised few residents in the area. For many, the closure of the establishment was just a matter of time.
The statements collected by Univision Miami describe a typical scene of violence, open drug use, and prostitution:
“The reputation of ‘La Lunita’? Drugs, sex, prostitution. There’s a problem every day. Fights, gunshots, stabbings, you name it.”, assured a neighbor of the establishment.
CBS News Miami obtained the 911 call records linked to the bar's address, and the two-page document included reports of vehicle thefts, assaults, vandalism, narcotics investigations, theft, and even a fire.
One of the most serious incidents occurred on January 11, 2026, when a man identified as Dainel Odio allegedly fired three shots at another person in front of the bar.
According to the police, the suspect attempted to flee to Havana by boarding an American Airlines flight, but was arrested before the plane took off. He remains in prison.
Alcohol without a license and a guard distributing narcotics
In an official statement, the Hialeah Police confirmed that alcohol was being sold inside the bar without the proper license.
The intervention also allowed for the identification of a security guard who, according to undercover agents, "was actively involved in the distribution of narcotics."
The Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco confiscated three gaming machines, although other sources mention four, along with documentation that reflected the profits generated from illegal activities.
ICE enters the scene: three individuals sent to federal custody
ICE's involvement added an additional component to the operation. Three individuals were taken into federal custody, as confirmed by both Univision and Telemundo.
CBS News Miami interviewed a woman identified as Nelly, a relative of one of those arrested by ICE:
"I know of two," he said, referring to the detainees.
He also explained that one of the arrested individuals asked him to retrieve his truck because he feared being deported to El Salvador.
For some residents, the presence of ICE highlighted the scale of the clandestine activities that, according to authorities, were taking place within the establishment.
The closure of La Lunita: relief for some, uncertainty for others
Once the operation was completed, the agents placed an official notice on the door prohibiting the business from operating in any capacity while the investigation progresses.
Images from Univision Miami show the moment the establishment is sealed, marking the end of a cycle that many felt lasted too long.
Some local merchants expressed feeling relieved.
"Without a doubt, it was a place that only brought trouble," said Ander León Español, owner of a nearby business.
Others preferred not to speak in front of the cameras for fear of reprisals, although they acknowledged that the weekends became "impossible" due to the behavior of the bar's clientele.
A research study that could be extended
The seized documentation, the testimonies of those inside the establishment, and data cross-referencing with previous records suggest that the "Operation Fallen Moon" may not have concluded.
Authorities are investigating whether the detainees were part of a larger network, if there were connections to other drug distribution points, and if there was involvement from third parties in the illegal gambling operation.
For the moment, La Lunita remains closed, having become the epicenter of a case that reveals how an ostensibly ordinary establishment transformed—according to authorities—into a criminal hub sustained by the permissiveness, silence, and fear of the community.
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