Bouncers turned my club into the Ministry of DRUGS


An entrepreneur with close links to Peter Mandelson today reveals how Class A drugs worth more than 50,000 used to be sold in his London nightclub each weekend.


Writing exclusively in The Mail on Sunday's Review section, James Palumbo says that after opening the Ministry of Sound in 1991, he routinely went to work there wearing a bulletproof jacket, and carrying spray gas and a stun gun to defend himself from gun toting dealers.


Palumbo, a 46 year old multi millionaire and the Old Etonian son of property tycoon Lord Palumbo, recounts several close shaves with gangsters, who for a time seized control of the club.


'The drug profits were astronomical I estimated they totalled more


than 50,000 a weekend. I was trying to run a legitimate business in an


atmosphere of lawlessness and intimidation.' He salvaged the club after


tackling the dealers head on with the help of the police. He later


boasted it was the 'only drug free club in Britain'.


Palumbo retains a majority stake in the business, which has clubs in


London, Egypt and Malaysia Nike NFL Jerseys China and was named Britain's 406th wealthiest


person with a 130million fortune.


In 1996, he gave his friend Lord Mandelson the use of a


chauffeur driven car for the following year's General ElectionBouncers turned my club into the Ministry of DRUGS. until I risked my life to drive them out


I was braced for trouble I knew was coming. Colossal drug


profits Nike NFL Jerseys were at stake and the organised crime families who 'run'


nightclub doors weren't used to cheap nfl jerseys dissent.


We were the first club


who had tried to take them on. The police Wholesale NFL Jerseys China had supplied us with a panic


alarm and we were told armed units would respond within minutes at the


first sign of trouble.


The biggest threat was a drive by shooting. This might not even involve one of the old door team but some hothead they put up to it.