On Monday morning, a significant number of federal agents descended upon the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn—the same facility where Sean “Diddy” Combs is currently being held—for what was termed an “interagency operation.” This coordinated action, as noted by the Bureau of Prisons (BOP), was part of a broader effort involving the Justice Department’s Inspector General and multiple other federal law enforcement agencies.
While details about the nature of the operation remain unclear, a statement released by the BOP simply indicated that the mission was “designed to achieve our shared goal of maintaining a safe environment for both our employees and the incarcerated individuals housed at MDC Brooklyn.” The BOP further clarified that the operation had been pre-planned and assured the public that there was “no active threat” to the premises.
For now, officials have declined to release additional specifics. They stated that withholding information until the operation concludes is essential to “maintain the safety and security of all personnel inside the facility and the integrity of this operation.”
Diddy has been held at MDC since his September arrest on charges of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and other serious allegations. The jail currently houses approximately 1,200 detainees, which represents a reduction of about 400 individuals since January. MDC Brooklyn primarily detains individuals awaiting trial in federal courts in Manhattan or Brooklyn; some inmates also serve short-term sentences at the facility, which is the only federal jail in New York City.
The MDC has faced extensive scrutiny over the years, with allegations of violence, poor living conditions, staff shortages, and contraband smuggling—some of which may allegedly involve corrupt staff members. Complaints from inmates regarding frequent lockdowns and limited access to visits, phone calls, showers, and exercise have added to the prison’s negative reputation.
Federal prosecutors recently filed charges against nine inmates connected to various violent incidents at MDC between April and August, which included the stabbing deaths of two prisoners with improvised weapons.