Seven Arrested at Brentwood Restaurant in Narcotics, Liquor Sting

Wilmer Mendez-Barrera, 44, of Brentwood was handed eight Field Appearance Tickets under New York's Alcoholic Beverage Control law Saturday after Suffolk County Police detectives, New York State Liquor Authority investigators, and Town of Islip fire and building inspectors converged on his restaurant at 739 Suffolk Ave. in a compliance sting that produced seven arrests, five of them on narcotics charges.

The operation at La Costa Catracha Restaurant was carried out by the Third Precinct Investigative Unit, the Third Squad, and the Suffolk County Police Narcotics Section. Six people were taken into custody at the scene; a seventh was charged in connection with the investigation. Police confirmed that patrons inside the restaurant were among those facing narcotics offenses, not just staff, an indication that investigators found drug activity woven into the normal business of the establishment.

The presence of the Town of Islip Fire Marshal and a building inspector alongside the SLA adds a second layer to the public-safety picture. Multi-agency compliance checks of this kind are typically deployed when investigators suspect a venue is creating hazards that extend beyond criminal law: overcrowding, blocked exits, or unpermitted structural changes that narcotics units alone are not equipped to assess. Police did not specify drug types or quantities seized in their initial release; those details are typically disclosed after laboratory analysis is completed and arraignment paperwork is filed.

For Mendez-Barrera, the eight ABC tickets represent civil exposure that can compound quickly. SLA violations carry financial penalties, and serious or repeated breaches can result in license suspension or revocation. Paired with an active criminal investigation, that civil liability significantly raises the legal stakes for the business.

Residents who want to check whether a neighborhood bar or restaurant holds a valid SLA license, or whether it has faced prior disciplinary action, can search the New York State Liquor Authority's public database at sla.ny.gov. Searching by business name or street address returns the license type, current status, and the full record of any formal charges, consent orders, or prior enforcement actions the SLA has filed against that premises. If a location near you shows a pattern of violations, that record is public and searchable before you walk through the door.

Anyone with information about illegal activity at La Costa Catracha or elsewhere in the Third Precinct can contact Suffolk County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-220-TIPS, where tips can be submitted anonymously.