Spundae/1015 Raided

[cotoncandydream]

You guys can go back and forth about arc and what's missing, but here's some serious stuff going on in clubland on the West Coast:

(info taken from another messageboard)

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Investigators for the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC), assisted by officers of the Los Angeles Police Department, raided the "Circus" nightclub last night (Saturday) arresting five people on drug charges.

The raid was the result of a seven-month undercover investigation involving ABC and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). ABC investigators made 26 purchases of various narcotics from 25 subjects. The sales included such drugs as ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana and ketamine. Six of the drug transactions were committed or facilitated by employees of Circus. DEA and ABC investigated several patrons of Circus who sold large quantities of ecstasy to undercover investigators. In all, more than 10,000 pills were seized with a street value of over $200,000.

During the course of the undercover investigation, ABC contacted Trinka D. Porrata, one of the nation's leading experts on ecstasy and rave events, who visited the Circus. Porrata identified the club as a "rave" event due to the lack of drug or weapon searches at the front door, extensive security, numerous patrons under the influence of designer drugs, the type of music, laser lighting, glow sticks, sales of water bottles and so-called power drinks with a high concentration of caffeine such as Red Bull, an outside cooling off area, and other factors. Porrata also talked to a confidential informant about rave events in the area. The informant referred to "Circus" as one of the best clubs to purchase and use ecstasy.

During the undercover investigation, ABC investigators observed the open and conspicuous use of drugs usually connected to "Rave" events. The drug of choice at these events is usually MDMA, or ecstasy, a stimulant that creates an increased sensitivity to sound and light.

The Circus also sells high caffeine power drinks to their patrons. The combination of the caffeine and ecstasy creates a super high which gives a hallucinogenic effect. The club catered to their drug using patrons by offering loud music, laser lights, and glow sticks which enhanced the psychedelic effect. Bottled water was sold to patrons to counter dehydration caused by ecstasy and other designer drugs.

For those patrons who overdosed on ecstasy, the nightclub provided a cool-down area with emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to prevent the need for emergency response units and possible inquiries from police. The club is currently being sued by the family of a young man who died from an overdose of drugs after attending the nightclub.

In September of 2001, 27-year-old Marcello "Nino" Maurizio allegedly obtained the drug ecstasy while at the club, collapsed on the dance floor and began having convulsions. The family is claiming that club personnel examined Maurizio for some time, and then told his friends to take him home as he was having a bad trip. Maurizio later died at San Gabriel Valley Medical Center. I n addition to the criminal charges to be filed against those who sold or facilitated the sale of drugs, ABC will file an accusation against the club's liquor license for allowing the conspicuous and blatant use of drugs at the location. The accusation could result in a suspension of the license. ABC investigators have been checking other nightclubs in Southern California and elsewhere in the State.

The DEA has been focusing on ecstasy trafficking and recently launched a nationwide operation called "Operation X-Out."

THAT SAME NIGHT

1015 in San Fran was visited by DEA agents

(From 1015's site, comments from security)

On Friday Ten 15 was visited by nine ABC agents. We were advised that they had been investigating the club for 5 1/2 months and had made 11 buys from 7 people.

The agent in charge advised that they would be seeking to revoke Ten15's liquor license.

We have, and always will, seek to keep drugs out of the club and will obviously fight to keep our licenses.

[rocksteadyct]

wow, looks like circus is fucked

but i dont think 1015 will be in much trouble.

Doesnt Christopher Lawerence reside there?

Funny story, a dude i know in San Diego said he went to see him once, and was up close to the booth watching him spin and C.L told him he was cute and hit on him....my friends not gay so he thought it was an intresting story

Then a few months later I read that C.L is married! what a swinger!

[cotoncandydream]

1) Christopher is not gay

2) Yes he is married

3) He has a kid

4) you friend is not a very good source of info.

[hotcheme]

christopher lawerence is hot and a great dj. i wish he came to nyc more often.

[rocksteadyct]

Originally posted by cotoncandydream

1) Christopher is not gay

2) Yes he is married

3) He has a kid

4) you friend is not a very good source of info.

ha! ouch!

After I posted that i kind of thought that maybe it wouldnt be cool to post second hand info like that, considering CP's rumour history..but it was the first thing that popped into my head!

Do you know him?

Im not insinuating anything, but there are people like that..and his hair is pretty wild in those old moonshine promo shots for united states of trance..

what i think may have happend was that it was someone in the booth with him rather than he himself, and besides this kid didnt know much about clubbing anyways, but it sounded like a valid story..not really one that is fabricated too often.

[highmay]

what else is new? spundae parties get raided all the time...

[Crackorn]

I went to 1015 once and had a great time. It was different from the ny scene. Everyone was so damned friendly!

[cotoncandydream]

Everyone was so damned friendly!

and now we know why *refer to above article*

[jayp]

yay for month-old news stories!

[dialectics]

Ooooh this is what I love to read, especially coming from the alcohol people, who have had this thorn up their ass about MDMA for over a decade.

remember kids, to the alcohol industry you are a dollar sign:

"This of course poses a significant threat to spending for such sectors as licensed drinks retailers and drink companies. Firstly some young people are turning away from alcohol to stimulants; secondly raves are extremely time consuming and displace much of the time and energy which might have been expended on other leisure activities like pubs or drinking at home."

Becuase any activity you engage in takes time away from your drinking at home.

(i'm trying to find a citation for that report, but can't seem to)

Bottled water was sold to patrons to counter dehydration caused by ecstasy and other designer drugs.

Its not like anyone could possibly be, say, thirsty after dancing for a while. I suppose its abnormal for people to go to a nightclub and NOT drink alcoholic beverages.

For those patrons who overdosed on ecstasy, the nightclub provided a cool-down area with emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to prevent the need for emergency response units and possible inquiries from police.

This has been done OVER and OVER again. almost every music event, regardless of genre, and while i don't know the exact numbers i'd venture a guess that any gathering of thousands of people paying to be on someone else's property will likely do the same thing. What, they should say 'forget about the EMTs, if someone breaks their leg we should make them wait for the ambulance to come? and who needs these chill areas, they should wait with a compound fracture in front of everyone to see!'

And for the love of god, glowsticks are not drug paraphanalia.

The family is claiming that club personnel examined Maurizio for some time, and then told his friends to take him home as he was having a bad trip.

This i don't like. if they have the EMTs they should at least use them... Otherwise they're putting people's lives @ risk in the name of whitewashing the club. granted it is not the club's fault that someone OD'd, but they should at least not make things WORSE.

One of the things i like to do whenever i go to a party in another state/country is to ask the EMTs and cops how much trouble they've had to deal with:

Miami (Ultra 2001), from a uniformed police officer: "This place is very safe. One dancer hurt her leg dancing on a bleacher but that was about it." The fire department guys were facing the mainstage and they were getting jiggy when bad boy bill was spinning.

London (GKGG 2002), from EMT tent: "We've had to deal with all sorts of overdoses today". We were there because my friend had a blister on her foot.

Amsterdam (dancevalley 2001), from EMT tent: "No, we haven't had to deal with anything major today. The people at this party are very friendly and very safe". I talked to her because she was cute and spoke english.

Bronx, NY (outside venue to remain anonymous, but i'm sure most people here know what i'm talking about): "This place is a nightmare. We're called in for shootings and overdoses all the time".

ABC will file an accusation against the club's liquor license for allowing the conspicuous and blatant use of drugs at the location.

That's right, the only drug you can use is alcohol.

peaz,

rob

[rocksteadyct]

u said everything i was too lazy to comment on!

people that "only" drink piss me off with their ignorance!

[jennEfer]

And although the EMTs did not handle the overdose situation at all responsibly... THE GUY WAS 27 YEARS OLD!!! I am sure he is old enough to make decisions for himself... including what drugs to take. The parents who sue clubs because thier adult children made a bad decision by taking drugs and overdosing are the same parents that think thier child never does anything wrong, and look for someone else to blame for thier child's ignorance.