FBI, ICE, DEA, ATF - Raid Buckeye Fire Equipment Company

KINGS MOUNTAIN, N.C. — On June 25, 2025, a coordinated operation involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) targeted Buckeye Fire Equipment Company, a fire equipment manufacturer in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The raid, part of a federal criminal investigation, has drawn significant attention due to the scale of the operation and the company’s reported ties to federal government contracts.

According to WBTV, at least 16 individuals were detained during the execution of a criminal search warrant at Buckeye Fire Equipment Company. The operation, led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) under ICE, focused on allegations of aggravated identity theft and the employment of individuals not authorized to work in the United States. The investigation also alluded to potential document forging related to employment eligibility.

WSOC TV reported that HSI confirmed agents were serving federal criminal search warrants at the facility on Kings Road, with local authorities, including the Kings Mountain Police Department, providing support. The police department clarified that its role was limited to addressing potential state charges, while federal inquiries should be directed to HSI.

The Gateway Pundit noted that Buckeye Fire Equipment has had contracts with federal agencies, including the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Small Business Administration (SBA), though the exact relevance of these ties to the investigation remains unclear. The operation involved additional agencies such as U.S. Marshals and Customs and Border Protection, underscoring its complexity.

HSI’s Charlotte office posted on X, stating, “HSI and law enforcement partners are executing a federal criminal search warrant today at Buckeye Fire Equipment in Kings Mountain, NC. There is no danger to the public.” The post emphasized the active nature of the investigation, with more details to be shared as available.

WCCB Charlotte’s CW confirmed the involvement of local police in assisting ICE, highlighting the federal criminal search warrant’s execution at Buckeye Fire Equipment. Posts on X from local reporters, such as Vanessa Ruffes, further detailed that ICE investigators were probing allegations of identity theft and other federal crimes, potentially linked to forged documents enabling unauthorized employment.

No official statements have confirmed arrests or specific charges as of the latest updates, and the investigation remains ongoing. The raid follows a pattern of increased ICE enforcement actions in the Charlotte region, as noted by the Carolina Migrant Network, though this operation is distinct for its criminal focus rather than broad immigration sweeps.

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