Greensboro bar loses alcohol license after raid, drugs and guns seized

Downtown Greensboro’s Pura Vida Cocktail Bar and Restaurant lost the right to sell alcohol after state agents tied the business to a long-running investigation that ended with drugs, firearms and cash seized from two Greensboro locations. The suspension leaves the South Elm Street venue open only in a limited form, a sharp blow for a nightclub and restaurant whose revenue depends on alcohol sales.

The North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission summarily suspended Pura Vida’s permits on April 20 after the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division said its investigation had begun in the fall of 2025 in response to numerous citizen complaints about the business at 221 South Elm Street. The state Department of Public Safety said ALE and the Greensboro Police Department executed four search warrants on Sunday morning as part of the probe into illegal alcohol and drug activity.

State officials said the raids turned up more than 172 grams of cocaine, more than 25 grams of methamphetamine, two firearms and more than $10,000. More than 150 charges were filed against multiple people connected to the investigation, and ALE said additional charges were still expected. The investigation also found illegal alcohol and drug sales at another Greensboro site, 3123 Cedar Park Road, Unit B, which was operating without ABC permits.

Pura Vida is owned by Ramos Restaurant Group LLC, the same company that owns El Patio in Raleigh. That gives the case a broader corporate reach than a single neighborhood bar fight, and it puts a second licensed business on notice as regulators move through what state officials described as an ongoing criminal investigation.

Under North Carolina law, the ABC Commission can suspend or revoke permits without a prior hearing when undercover evidence shows criminal activity on licensed premises that threatens public safety, including drug violations. In practical terms, Pura Vida can stay open, but it cannot sell alcoholic beverages at the location, a distinction that could force the business to rely on food service or other limited operations while the case continues.

For downtown Greensboro, the case carries a wider message. South Elm Street is one of the city’s most visible nightlife corridors, and the loss of a permit there is not just a paperwork problem. It is a public warning that regulators are willing to move quickly when they believe illegal activity has crossed the line from isolated complaints to a threat to safety and the district’s reputation.