A long-running investigation into an open-air drug market in San Diego where crack cocaine was reportedly peddled has resulted in federal charges against 30 defendants, all but two of whom were detained on Wednesday.
For more than a year, investigators used hidden cameras to monitor the accused gang-controlled market in the 2900 block of Imperial Avenue, capturing daily drug sales, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office officials.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office estimates that the market sold 20 pounds of cocaine every week. Along with clients purchasing crack cocaine on Imperial Avenue, low-level dealers disseminated the drugs around the city, including East Village, Logan Heights, and Sherman Heights.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, the market has also seen incidents of violence, including a shooting that resulted in the deaths of two individuals earlier this year.
“Today’s indictments are about more than just upholding the law. “They’re about reclaiming public streets for the people who actually live there,” said Adam Gordon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of California, at a news conference on Wednesday.
The 28 arrests on Wednesday morning were part of a concerted operation by federal, state, and local law enforcement officers, who also recovered drugs, cash, and firearms throughout the investigation.
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