Operation Grand Slam Nabs 11 in Clinton Hill
[nggallery id=”38884″ template=galleryview] As residents of Clinton Hill and longtime readers of this blog know, the drug dealing and related violence at the corner of Grand and Putnam avenues has long been a scourge on the neighborhood. A couple of weeks ago, a coordinated effort between the Brooklyn DA’s office and the Brooklyn North division…
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As residents of Clinton Hill and longtime readers of this blog know, the drug dealing and related violence at the corner of Grand and Putnam avenues has long been a scourge on the neighborhood. A couple of weeks ago, a coordinated effort between the Brooklyn DA’s office and the Brooklyn North division of the NYPD (which included 18 purchases by undercover officers) culminated in a raid of several buildings and businesses, resulting in the arrest of 24 suspects and the indictment of 11. Top charges against some of them include Criminal Sale of a Controlled Substance in the Third Degree, which can result in up to 15 years in prison. The map in the slide show shows the locations of the alleged activity. At the press conference given by Brooklyn District Attorney Charles Hynes, we were shown a video showing undercover buys on Grand along the side of the bodega and inside in the hallway of 435 Grand Avenue across the street; we were also told of some footage showing a buy go down with a young girl sitting on the stairs in the background doing her homework. In addition, three guns and two pounds of marijuana were seized from the two t-shirt stores at 13 and 13-R Putnam Avenue while 75 grams of crack were found at the barber shop at 14 Putnam Avenue. The big question now will be what happens in the wake of the power vaccuum: Will dealers decide it’s easier to find a new place of business now that this is a certified hot-spot or will there be a violent struggle to assume control of the corner?
“since before Christopher Smalls became the Notorious B.I.G.”
Christopher Wallace? Or am I missing a joke?
That bodega is sketchy as hell – I used pass it on my lunchtime walk when I worked three blocks from here, and passing it each day would get tons of attention. Even a clueless person like me could sense the crime.
Someone will move into the vaccuum. That corner has been hot since before Christopher Smalls became the Notorious B.I.G. It’s important to remember that if there wasn’t a demand there would be any traffic. Drug buyers know that location. Drug sellers will prove that they are not easily evicted.
This is a big story for us in this corner of the neighborhood. it has been apparent for some time that real pressure would have to be brought to bear to substantially change that corner but it is gratifying to see that the political will has been found. I hope that they see this through as opposed to making a splash and then dropping the whole thing.
“I thought Operation Grand Slam was Goldfinger’s plan to rob Fort Knox.”
It was actually a trip to Denny’s I planned for my anniversary.
Will this put those stores out of business opening up some nice retail space????
I thought Operation Grand Slam was Goldfinger’s plan to rob Fort Knox.
Based on those mugshots, perhaps a few of them need to learn to not “get high on your own supply.”
“while 75 grams of crack were found at the barber shop at 14 Putnam Avenue. The big question now will be what happens ”
The big question is where will I get my hair cut?