Washington Square Park Drug Crackdown: Dealers Arrested

A year-long investigation led to the arrest of dealers operating a drug market in Washington Square Park. Increased police presence aims to reclaim the park and deter narcotics activity. Arrests increased by 50%.

The nearly 20 dealerships were hit with federal costs for allegedly running a brazen, open air medicine market in Washington Square Park and swamping the prominent place with “countless doses” of split, heroin and fentanyl cocaine– the outcome of a year-long examination by Lazar’s team snooping on dealers from Town rooftops.

Dealers Busted in Washington Square Park

“It’s wonderful that we’re nailing these narcotics traffickers, however we wish to ensure that they stay out of this area– out of the park– indefinitely,” said Minor Wednesday evening, as officers were preparing yourself to close in on the dealerships.

“I believe it’s remarkable news,” Lilian Migliorini, a Village resident, informed The Post. “It’s a wonderful, appropriate action. I believe individuals need to be toughened up with ‘all right, so exactly how long do we have them for before they obtain drawn for something else.'”.

Along with the 68 rank and file policemans, nine leaders have been assigned to the operation– a lieutenant and 3 sergeants for every of the morning and afternoon changes, and a sergeant for the night shift, Minor claimed.

Those busted this week had currently been captured by police officers more than 80 times, jointly, for a spate of drug-related offenses within the previous five years, alleged the charge, submitted in Federal District Court in Manhattan Thursday.

Increased Police Presence in the Park

Thirty policeman will certainly now be patrolling the park walking by day, during a first shift from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with one more 30 coming in for an evening change from 4pm to midnight. An extra eight cover a night shift from midnight to 8 a.m.– all attracted from other precincts.

“It’s just remarkable,” claimed Sumner. “We simply kept on putting them back in the roads of no consequence and obviously, they had free power to run a criminal conspiracy theory right before us like this with negligent desert.”.

The NYPD flooded the Greenwich Village landmark with 68 extra polices Friday– in a 24/7 crackdown aimed at overcoming junkies from the beleaguered room, which dealers and addicts alike developed into a veritable narcotics supercenter.

Policemans from at the very least 8 different precincts were seen Friday in the park, with some from regarding the 84th precinct in Brooklyn Levels. The police officers were informed they would be assigned to Washington Square Park for the following month– for now.

“So all these law enforcement officers in the park are mosting likely to keep the narcotics from moving in and they’re going to keep all the customers from socializing in the park,” he included. “I’m expecting the very first time in half a century, we have this park back.”.

Community Reacts to Park Crackdown

“With all this enforcement and whatever else going on, I wish they’re mosting likely to go elsewhere,” claimed Minor at an area meeting Wednesday, hours prior to the apprehension of a network of gang connected pusher in a multiagency takedown.

Police officers made a record 575 narcotics apprehensions in the Sixth Precinct, that includes the park, in the initial nine months of the year– an average of as numerous as 2 a day and a more than 50% increase from 2024, according to NYPD information. A number of the busts came in and around the park,.

Significant Increase in Drug Arrests

“I believe it’s wonderful news,” Lilian Migliorini, a Village homeowner, told The Article. “It’s a terrific, right action. Yet I assume individuals need to be solidified with ‘all right, so the length of time do we have them for before they obtain drawn for something else.'”.