LEJEUNE ACTS AGAINST NIGHTCLUB

Onslow-Area Authorities Help In Widespread Drug Probe

A Wilmington nightclub has been declared off-limits by Camp Lejeune
officials because of alleged drug activity among military and civilians.

Camp Lejeune interim base commander Col. Alfred J. Karle Jr. has approved a
recommendation by the Armed Forces Disciplinary Control Board to add a
Wilmington nightclub, Dot Comm, to the list of area businesses to be
avoided by military personnel.

According to the base public affairs office, civilian and military
personnel were distributing illicit drugs at the club, including methylene
dioxymethamphetamine or its derivatives -- collectively known as the
designer drug ecstasy -- as well as LSD and gamma hydroxybuturite.

The information came from what Naval Criminal Investigative Service agents
described as a combined effort between New Hanover County and Wilmington
police vice units, state Alcohol Law Enforcement, the State Bureau of
Investigation, the Onslow County Sheriff's Department, Jacksonville Police
Department, U.S. Customs, and Drug Enforcement Agency representatives
stationed in Eastern North Carolina and across the country.

"They've taken about 12,000 pills off the street," said 1st Lt. Clint
Cascaden, base public affairs officer. "By shutting down the nightclub, (to
military patrons) it keeps Marines from being exposed to that type of
environment."

Special Agent Robert Nycz of NCIS described the establishment as a major
hub of drug activity.

The recent off-limits action is used by commanders to help maintain
discipline and an appropriate level of good health, morale, safety, morals
and welfare of Armed Forces personnel. A change in name or ownership of a
business does not revoke the off-limits restriction that applies to service
members assigned to units with II Marine Expeditionary Force, 2nd Marine
Division, 2nd Force Service Support Group, Camp Lejeune and New River Air
Station.

Cascaden said establishments are reviewed every three months to see if
questionable practices continue, before the list is updated.

Under the restrictions, civilian authorities can detain military personnel
at off-limits establishments until they are returned to military control.

In addition to the Dot Comm nightclub in Wilmington, 18 local
establishments are off limits. There are another 21 in the Fort Bragg area,
18 around Pope Air Force Base and six in the Norfolk, Va. area.

Service members are prohibited from entering off-limits establishments and
violators are subject to disciplinary action under Article 92 of the
Uniform Code of Military Justice, failure to obey an order or regulation,
which carries with it a maximum punishment of up to two years in prison, a
dishonorable discharge and loss of all pay and allowances.

Cascaden said officials are pleased with the publicity they are now
receiving because they believe it should discourage future dealers from
coming to this area for fear of getting caught and prosecuted.

"It is frustrating to have some military prosecuted for drug trafficking,"
Cascaden said. "We hope that by catching the bad ones who are influencing
the good Marines, we are keeping the good ones from going bad."