FBI & ICE RAID Uncover Tunnel Under Somali Attorneys’ Minneapolis Mansion — 2.64 Tons, 96 Arrests

Federal authorities say what began as a coordinated immigration enforcement action quickly evolved into one of the largest criminal investigations Minnesota has seen in decades. Over the course of a single week, ICE officers arrested at least 12 individuals across the Twin Cities area, nearly half of whom are originally from Somalia. While some community members expressed outrage and fear over the arrests, federal investigators insist the operation was driven not by nationality, but by evidence tied to an alleged transnational smuggling network.

At 4:32 a.m. in the Cedar-Isles-Dean neighborhood of Minneapolis, the stillness of early morning was broken by the synchronized arrival of armored vehicles and tactical units. The area, known for its historic mansions and quiet, tree-lined streets near Lake of the Isles, became the epicenter of a sweeping multi-agency raid involving the FBI, ICE, DEA, ATF, and Minneapolis SWAT teams. According to officials, 12 locations were targeted simultaneously.

One of those locations was a sprawling three-story mansion owned by two well-known immigration attorneys who had practiced in Minneapolis for more than a decade. Neighbors later described hearing loud explosions as flashbang devices were deployed and agents forced entry into the home. Inside, investigators moved quickly past marble floors and curated artwork, focusing instead on the lower levels of the property.

Behind what authorities describe as a concealed wall in the basement—disguised as part of a wine cellar—agents allegedly discovered a reinforced steel tunnel descending roughly 15 feet underground. The passageway, fitted with industrial lighting and a ventilation system, stretched more than 1,200 feet beneath residential streets and, according to investigators, connected to a commercial warehouse near the Mississippi River waterfront.

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Inside the tunnel and the connected warehouse, federal officials say they seized approximately 2.6 tons of narcotics, including cocaine, heroin, fentanyl, and methamphetamine. Bundled cash totaling nearly $19 million was reportedly found stored in waterproof containers. Authorities also recovered encrypted satellite phones, motion sensors, thermal imaging equipment, and multiple sealed hard drives.

By late morning, digital forensic teams at the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office had begun analyzing the encrypted devices. Within hours, investigators claim they uncovered detailed financial records, network diagrams, and coded ledgers referencing shell companies, offshore accounts, and nonprofit organizations. At the center of many financial authorizations, officials allege, was the name Ismael Karim Noir, one of the immigration attorneys associated with the mansion

Noir, known publicly as a legal advocate for asylum seekers and immigration reform, is now accused by federal authorities of serving as a financial coordinator and legal strategist for what they describe as the Al-Hud Logistics Syndicate—a transnational operation allegedly involved in narcotics trafficking, money laundering, and human smuggling. Noir’s legal team has denied the allegations, and no conviction has been secured. His wife, speaking publicly for the first time, rejected claims that he is affiliated with any gang or extremist organization, calling the accusations “false and deeply damaging.”

According to court filings, investigators believe the tunnel discovered in Minneapolis was not an isolated structure. Authorities allege similar underground routes were identified in St. Paul, Bloomington, and other parts of the state, linking residential properties to commercial sites and transportation corridors. Officials claim the network was designed to integrate with long-haul trucking routes feeding into major Midwest cities, including Chicago, Detroit, and Cleveland.

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By 6:00 a.m. the following day, a broader operation—code-named Operation Groundfall—was underway. More than 900 federal agents and dozens of specialized units executed search warrants across Minnesota. In Bloomington, agents reportedly uncovered a clandestine pill-production lab hidden beneath a grocery distribution center, seizing more than two million suspected fentanyl tablets. In St. Paul, four individuals described as logistics coordinators were arrested in a luxury condominium, where servers allegedly routed encrypted communications overseas.

In the city of Aitkin, investigators say a tunnel entrance was discovered beneath a dental office, extending hundreds of feet to a lakeside storage facility used for boat transport. Meanwhile, ICE agents in Rochester intercepted refrigerated trucks allegedly carrying narcotics concealed behind false walls. By midday, 96 suspects were in federal custody.

Perhaps most troubling, officials allege the network extended beyond smuggling routes into the institutions meant to prevent such crimes. Federal investigators claim evidence suggests that multiple law enforcement officers, public officials, and even members of the judiciary may have accepted bribes in exchange for favorable treatment. These allegations include delayed patrol responses, falsified reports, and advance warnings of enforcement actions. Several individuals have been placed on administrative leave pending further investigation.

One senior federal agent, speaking on background, described the situation as “systemic infiltration rather than isolated misconduct.” According to investigative documents, encrypted communications referenced altered patrol grids, modified shipping logs, and manipulated inspection schedules. Authorities allege the network could move significant quantities of narcotics weekly without triggering automated alerts.

Financial analysts tracing the syndicate’s alleged transactions say funds moved through shell corporations registered in multiple states and offshore accounts in regions including the Cayman Islands and Dubai. Some nonprofits, investigators claim, were used as fronts to funnel donations and obscure the origin of money.

Despite the scale of the operation, officials caution that the legal process is just beginning. Defense attorneys representing several of the accused have criticized what they describe as sensationalized claims and have vowed to challenge the admissibility of digital evidence obtained during the raids. Community leaders have also called for transparency, warning against stigmatizing immigrant communities based on unproven allegations.