A Wake County Superior Court judge signed a Temporary Restraining Order against the owners and operators of StarBar, located at 1731 Trawick Road in Raleigh, following a joint investigation by the Raleigh Police Department and North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Division in April. The court action comes after years of reported criminal activity at the establishment.
The issue is significant because StarBar has been associated with repeated incidents involving controlled substance violations, fights, assaults, and shootings. Since July 2020, law enforcement responded to 15 shooting incidents at the business. Authorities say these ongoing problems led to increased scrutiny from both local police and state alcohol enforcement agencies.
Investigations by Alcohol Law Enforcement resulted in the revocation of StarBar’s ABC permits by the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission twice—in 2020 and again in 2025—due to findings related to illegal activity and violence on site. “Through a strong partnership between ALE, the Raleigh Police Department, and the City of Raleigh, we were able to clearly document and establish a long-standing pattern of nuisance activity at this location,” said ALE Director Bryan House. “North Carolina’s nuisance abatement laws give our agents and local leaders the authority to address properties that become havens for persistent crime and violence. The repeated incidents coupled with a lack of responsible oversight at this business created conditions that the residents of Raleigh should not have to endure. We will continue to use every tool available under North Carolina law to protect our communities and keep our state safe.”
The Temporary Restraining Order immediately restricts use of the property: it orders StarBar closed, prohibits its sale, and requires all nuisance-related criminal activity on site cease while legal proceedings continue. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled within ten days for further judicial review regarding permanent restrictions or continued operation.
Raleigh Police Chief Rico Boyce said: “I am grateful for the exceptional contributions of our public safety partners, whose dedication and commitment throughout this case exemplify the core value of collaboration in modern law enforcement. Alongside our officers and detectives, their teamwork and coordinated efforts were instrumental in advancing this investigation and reinforcing our shared mission to protect the community.” He also said: “The coordination and teamwork demonstrated between the Raleigh Police Department and the Alcohol Law Enforcement Division reflect the strong commitment of both local and state agencies to keeping our community safe.”
Chapter 19 of North Carolina General Statutes outlines what constitutes nuisance activities—including drug violations, recurring acts of violence or breaches of peace—and allows civil remedies intended to reduce such conduct’s impact on communities. The Alcohol Law Enforcement Division serves as lead agency for enforcing state alcoholic beverage control laws as well as gambling, lottery, tobacco regulations; its agents are certified paralegals with specialized training for handling nuisance abatement cases.
