Officers from the Drug Control Police force (Spanish initials: PCD) in Costa Rica were surprised to find a fully operational nude cabaret within a drug den located in the Goicoechea metropolitan canton of San Jose. The incident occurred on Wednesday and was reported by means of an official press release issued by the Ministry of Public Security (Spanish initials: MSP).

PCD agents had received more than a dozen complaints from neighbors of Barrio Nazareno, located in the La Facio sector of the Ipís district. Neighbors complained about a “bunker,” which is the term used to describe crack houses and drug dens in Costa Rica. In this case, the crack house was located just a few blocks away from a public school; moreover, neighbors also complained that they could not sleep due to the loud reggaeton and hip-hop music that blared from the bunker at all times.

The tips received by PCD investigators explained that the crack house had lookouts who used binoculars and bells in case they needed to sound the alarm. Armed with this information, PCD agents deployed their own lookouts near the concealed crack house so that they could spot suspects walking around with binoculars and bells.

By the time the crack house lookout sounded the alarm, PCD raiding teams were already breaching and covering the exits. Although weapons were confiscated in the raid, no shots were fired. Once inside, the officers found two female dancers plying their erotic trade and gyrating around stripper poles as customers ogled them from comfortable couches. Furthermore, the nude cabaret was reportedly equipped with an MP3 player, stereo speakers, disco lights, and even a small bar.

In the end, the officers arrested two men believed to be the crack house operators. More than 500 baggies of cocaine hydrochloride were confiscated along with 269 hits of crack, 462 retail bags of marijuana, 326,000 colones, four $1 bills, two 9 mm pistols, a .380 handgun, and assorted rounds.

The two suspects arrested have criminal histories and remain in custody as they wait to be interviewed by prosecutors. The disposition of the exotic dancers and drug users was not reported, and it is unclear whether municipal inspectors will issue code violations for operating an unlicensed nude cabaret.