The music stopped abruptly at Dirty Laundry on Monday, when an El Paso judge ordered the East El Paso bar to shut its doors on the spot after county prosecutors said the venue had become a persistent source of criminal activity. A temporary restraining order now blocks the business from operating at its Trawood Drive location while the county pursues a civil suit. Neighbors and officials have long complained about late-night violence and a steady stream of police calls tied to the spot.
The suit was filed by County Attorney Christina Sanchez, who asked the 171st District Court to declare the establishment a “common nuisance” and to close it while the case moves forward. The order, signed by Judge Bonnie Rangel, covers 3136 Trawood, Suites E-1 and E-2, with a hearing set for April 7 to decide whether the shutdown will stay in place, as reported by KDBC.
“Public safety is non-negotiable,” Sanchez said in a statement outlining her office’s case, arguing that when a business “knowingly permits violence and illegal drug activity, it endangers the families who live and work in the surrounding community.” That statement, along with the detailed court filing, was described in coverage by KDBC.
A Long List Of Police Runs And Alleged Drug Deals
The county’s lawsuit says the property at 3136 Trawood generated more than 280 emergency calls over roughly two years, and that officers produced 79 case reports tied to activity at the bar. Prosecutors also say investigators documented 24 separate DWI incidents connected to patrons leaving the business. According to the filing, undercover agents reported that employees helped facilitate cocaine sales on multiple occasions, and witnesses told officers that a driver involved in a fatal collision on March 23 had been drinking at Dirty Laundry. All of those claims are laid out in the court documents the county submitted in the case.
Permit Problems, Fire Violations And The Road Ahead
The county also alleges the bar had been operating without a valid “places of assembly” permit since July 2025. City Fire Marshal inspections, according to the lawsuit, recorded violations that included inoperable exit signs and improperly secured gas tanks. The civil suit names several corporate and individual defendants, including 3136 Trawood LLC, Ortequi Ltd, Texas Limited Partnership, and others, and asks the court to keep the business closed while the legal fight plays out. For background on the County Attorney’s authority and how to report similar concerns, the public can consult the El Paso County Attorney’s Office…