A rash of "date-rape drug" incidents in Waikiki has law enforcement officials warning people to better monitor their drinks and the people around them.

Although the incidents have centered on one Waikiki restaurant/bar, investigators believe the problem is much bigger and want more victims to come forward.

A woman ended up nude on a Waikiki beach, according to one report to the Honolulu Liquor Commission. In other incidents, a man woke up naked behind the former site of the Imax Waikiki Theater, robbed of money and a laptop computer, and a woman last remembered being driven in her own car by a stranger who was rifling her purse. She ended up in her home but couldn't recall how she got there.

One of the female victims last remembered meeting her friend for lunch at the same restaurant/bar, said Jeff Smith, chief investigator for the Honolulu Liquor Commission.

Some victims showed evidence of sexual assault, he said.

"There is commonality," Smith said. "At least four of the victims were at the same bar."

Smith and Dewey Kim, the Liquor Commission's administrator, declined to identify the restaurant/bar because the management and employees are cooperating with the investigation and Kim believes they are not involved in the attacks.

DRUGS SOLD ON STREET

Until the past few weeks, the Liquor Commission had not received a single report of a date-rape drug being used this year, Kim said.

"This is bad," he said. "People are going out and enjoying themselves and waking up not knowing what happened. There are probably victims out there who haven't been sexually assaulted but were robbed. We want to know where they were drinking."

The three most commonly used date-rape drugs — Rohypnol, ketamine and GHB, or gamma hydroxybutyric acid — are available on the streets of Waikiki for $25 a hit and Kim believes more victims are being targeted in other nearby bars.

"We have a feeling it's going on throughout Waikiki," Kim said. "A lot of people hesitate to report rapes. In a situation where you can't remember what happened, that makes it even more difficult."

Liquor Commission investigators are working with the Police Department's Waikiki substation and federal drug enforcement officials, Kim said.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration is also aware of the problem.

"We're certainly monitoring the situation," said Anthony D. Williams, assistant special agent in charge of the DEA's Honolulu district office. "We haven't had investigations specifically targeting date rape drugs, but that's not to say they're not here."

Liquor Commission officials are also talking to Waikiki bar and restaurant managers about the rash of attacks.

Nick Prioletti, general manager of Lulu's Surf Club in Waikiki, said he heard the warnings earlier this week. He's now reminding Lulu's bartenders to set aside female customers' drinks if they get up to leave temporarily.

Prioletti is also reminding Lulu's staff to look for symptoms that may suggest a customer had a tainted drink.

"We train our bartenders to watch out for people who are suspicious," he said. "And someone who may have had something put in their drink may be more and more subdued, less animated, almost to the level of falling asleep versus being lively and wanting to party. If it's to the point where we're very concerned, we'll get the police involved immediately."

Kirsten Hesse, a 22-year-old Hawai'i Pacific University senior who was walking along Kalakaua Avenue yesterday with her friend, Julia Heibaum, 22, said she would never leave a drink unattended in a bar.

Hesse worked as a bartender in her hometown in Karlsruhe, Germany, and understands that she can't always rely on someone else to look out for her drink.

"The bartenders always have something to do, so they don't have the time to watch all the drinks," Hesse said. "I would never leave my drink alone in a bar — like just put it somewhere and go dancing."

KEEP TRACK OF DRINKS

Mary Baily, a 22-year-old tourist from Bellingham, Wash., grew up with her father's warnings about keeping track of her own drinks.

He worked as a bartender and also served as a soldier.

"My dad always warns me that there are people who will do things and to always be careful, even with my boyfriend around," Baily said. "I never, ever take something unless it's from the bartender or my boyfriend. I would never leave an open drink around. If I get up to leave, I won't pick it back up. I'm never touching it again."

Baily and her boyfriend, Casey Rorvig, 23, went on a Waikiki "pub crawl" on their vacation "and when we bought our drinks I'd watch the bartenders. My dad has seen people try the craziest things."

Honolulu police Capt. Frank T. Fujii warned people yesterday: "If you go clubbing don't leave your drink unattended and if you go out, go with a friend and leave with that friend. Be aware of your surroundings and if you see someone extremely intoxicated, please alert the establishment immediately."

The Liquor Commission's Kim, who is the father of two teenage daughters, also suggests that parents keep track of their daughters' movements when they go out.

"Parents should periodically call their daughters through the night to make sure they can get ahold of them," Kim said.

For people going out for drinks — even nonalcoholic ones, he suggests they be with someone they trust, never accept drinks from strangers and never leave a drink unattended.

"If you do get drowsy or nauseous or feel different symptoms than from normal drinking or your memory is going," he said, "don't assume it's just from the alcohol or you're sick. It may be that something's been put in your drink. Call HPD or call the Liquor Commission."

Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com and Peter Boylan at pboylan@honoluluadvertiser.com.

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