Police raid dope ‘supermarket’

Press, 9 February 1980, Page 7

Police raid dope ‘supermarket’

NZPA New York Sixty people were arrested yesterday when police raided four apartment buildings m lower Manhattan in what they termed the biggest drug arrest in the area’s history. “It was a real surprise attack.” said Captain James Power of the street enforcement unit, which co-ordi-[nated the raid by about 130 [officers. . | The operation, located in [rundown tenements, housed what, the police called a high-class heroin and cocaine supermarket serving 400 middle-class customers per hour from throughout the New York metropolitan area and New England, said the police. Arrested on various gun and drug charges were two women and 58 men, including an auxiliary police officer. The police alleged that all 60 operated what was described as virtually a one-

block supermarket for drugs open 15 hours a day. Captain Power said the drug vendors netted an estimated $200,000 a day from “very high purity stuff.” Narcotics worth an estimated $250,000, assorted handguns and rifles, and $2780 in cash, were confiscated.

Captain Power said police [swooped into the area in rented vans and executed 15 search warrants simultaneously, breaking down doors "to enter apartments where narcotics were cut, packaged, and sold. The police said no-one was hurt in the raid, although a Dobermann pinscher guarding on apartment was shot and killed when it attacked officers.

The police could not immediately say where the narcotics;- originated or whether the operation was connected with any. other drug rings.