Drug Bust in Inwood

A major drug bust in an Upper Manhattan neighborhood has residents resting a little easier.

 

Authorities say thirty-two people are facing charges in connection with a drug market that operated in the open air of Inwood. They say officers are still pursuing the arrest of eight of those involved.

 

Dealers sold crack and cocaine on the streets and in the lobbies of apartment buildings along Inwood’s Vermilyea Avenue. The surrounding area is littered with schools, public buildings, churches, and families.

 

Congressman Adriano Espaillat visited the area today to congratulate the NYPD officers who worked hard on the case. He was joined by Senator Marisol Alcantara, a member of the neighborhood's Dominican community. She says hard-working immigrants will not allow the drug market to tarnish their reputation.

 

She says, “We came here to work, to live the American dream. It’s a shame that something like this is happening in our neighborhood.”

 

Alcantara says the community urged police and political officials to do something about the drug activity.

 

“You know I think people are pretty comfortable about reporting, and people are getting sick and tired of having to walk through an open air market”

 

Alcantra says elected officials will continue to partner with the police department to ensure Northern Manhattan remains a family-friendly community.