Drug Dealer in Building

jay b · May 2009

I've got quite the interesting situation going on in my building. I live on the first floor, and I know for a fact that there's a drug dealer in my building. Here's how it works: a "client" will ring the buzzer, get buzzed into the first floor vestibule, the dealer comes down the steps from the fourth floor, and sells drugs to the client. I can hear the transactions happening since they're actually dumb enough to think their voices don't travel through my door when they're standing right next to it. "Let me get two"... "Make sure you tuck that in your pocket before you leave"... "No credit"... "Pay me now"...

This makes me extremely uncomfortable to know that this type of activity is so close to home. Because this goes on at all hours of the night and keeps me awake, I want to call the police and report this, but I also am wary of the "don't snitch" edict in this neighborhood. I should also mention that even when not dealing, this guy and some friends are usually smoking blunts in the hallway (right outside my door) from 12am to 2am on weeknights.

I just don't know what to do:
Choice A) suck it up and wait til August and hope to get some sleep before then OR
Choice

call the police, hope that the dealer doesn't figure out it's me, and maybe have an increased chance of sleep.

I've posted about this before, and the situation is now even worse. Anyone out there have advice?

MOD · May 2009

Have you talked to your landlord?

meredithb · May 2009

Tell the drug dealers to take make their clients walk up the four flights.

whatchuwant · May 2009

Grow some stones and call the cops. Anonymously.

hitokiri · May 2009

call the cops from a payphone and say you saw this guy with crack and some children.

That'll get them to the apt very fast.

owler · May 2009

I wouldn't call the cops if it can easily be linked back to you. If you do decide to call the cops, I wouldn't let the people you are trying to report to the police have any idea it was you that snitched 'em out, chances are the guy will not do much time, and if he does any time, it's because of you. So take that into consideration.
I wouldn't bring it up with the landlord either, unless does your landlord seem like the type of person who would even care? I've brought up drug stuff with my landlord before, my downstairs neighbors when I first moved in would smoke a ton of weed, and he didn't really care and since then they've chilled out with smoking in the building. Sounds to me if it's making you this uncomfortable, it's time to move and in no way am I saying you should have to put up with this, it's your right to not have that stuff going on right outside your door. Tough call. Good Luck.

jay b · May 2009

Yeah, I've thought about all that. Very tough call. I'm thinking at this point I should buy some earplugs and a loud air conditioner and wait til August when the lease ends. Move out, call the cops then. There are at least five kids who live in the building, and the building is less than a block from PS 316 on Sterling and Classon.

king without a crown · May 2009

I wouldnt tell the landlord, you have no clue what his or her relationship is like with the drug dealer. You can call 911 anonymously, but unless the Police happen to catch him or drug buyers in the act, thats usually ineffective. The best bet would be to foward this information to Narcotics who can do a controlled buy and build a case on your neighbor. As for the "NO SNITCHIN" stupidity, that usually refers to one whose involved in the game, ratting out other involved parties, not an innocent Law abiding citizen calling the Police on criminals. Do you think an unsatisfied customer could possibly shoot bullets through this guys door?

unrepentant fenian · May 2009

Or you could just move out of the ghetto.

jay b · May 2009

Definitely moving as soon as the lease expires.

How would I inform narcotics about this?

dmiami · May 2009

Call the cops annonymously if you are concerned about being identified.
Even if the police don't resolve the problem, you'll have the peace of mind knowing that you've done something instead of waffling for 3 more months. Your complaint *should* be recorded. Do the right thing.

Also, I agree with CWAC, The whole "snitching" concern is WAY over blown as it relates to non-criminals.

unrepentant fenian · May 2009

Jay B wrote: Definitely moving as soon as the lease expires.

How would I inform narcotics about this?

Got to the precinct and ask to speak to a detective.

boogieknight · May 2009

If you've overheard enough transactions to know how it goes down - just feed this info to the narcos - so that they can make a bust.

If the upstairs guy is just coming down when the buzzer goes off, he's got the dope on him, names a price, narco locks him up.

Even if he doesn't fall for the sting, and realizes its a cop trying to snatch him up, it should hopefully shake him up enough so that it should at least discourage him from doing business where he lives (which is real smart by the way).

mat · May 2009

Most definitely get the cops involved. Sounds like it won't be an easy open/shut case, so then on July 31, have the cops hang out in your apartment and witness it themselves and make the bust. See yah! Peace out drug dealer, etc.

mantic · May 2009

Tell the dude that the D's came thru asking you about the goings on in the building. Tell them that you didn't rat them out even though the noise and the traffic at 2 AM annoys the shit out of you. Advise them they should move shop to a safer location, because you think someone might have snitched.

If your a "new" face on an old block, don't forget the "I'm anonymous" T-Shirt after you make that anonymous call. They may be dumb, but they are not stupid.

meredithb · May 2009

Unrepentant Fenian wrote: Or you could just move out of the ghetto.

Yeah, drug dealing in Park Slope is so much more respectful.

rosweed · May 2009

That is a tough one. I wouldn't talk to anyone about it, period. In this neighborhood, you never know who's related, who's friends - even the landlord may be in on it. I would definitely talk to the NYPD. Here's a local narcotics number: 718 495 5265. I would also call/email the precinct, Marty Markowitz's office, Ray Kelly, Mike Bloomberg and inform them of your predicament. And keep doing it. If it's still happening when your lease is up - move.

fusdma · May 2009

Subject: Drug Dealing in Building

Assuming that you live in Crown Heights, my recommendation would be to attend the 71st PCT council meeting, which is held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at IS 61, located on New York Avenue and Empire Blvd. (7:30)It's also across the street from the pct.
The Community affair officier and DI are there. Speak privately to either one of them and you will get results.

king without a crown · May 2009

Just send me the info and I'll take care of it

shake · May 2009

Why doesn't everyone that posted call for him?

harrytrav · May 2009

I agree that you should report the circumstances to Narcotics, Inspector Cosgrove, with cc to Commis Kelley.

I would also post flyers in the foyer where the customers enter, and inside when the dealer comes down to service customers that NYPD hidden cameras are observing drug traffic for arrest.

Indicate that any tenant observed on tape participating in drug activity will be prosecuted and evicted.

Of course, you might not want to be observed posting the flyers....

Good luck

jay b · May 2009

I've sent a PM to King Without a Crown.

The building is too small for me to post anything in the entry way - just four floors, and it would be tough to do without being seen since the kids are constantly running in and out of the front door.

I tried the 911 thing the other night just because of the noise. Someone undercover came to the door and tried to get in, but didn't have the code. The two guys making noise in the hall just went up to their apartment. I heard one on his cellphone the next day saying how the "d's" came to his door in the middle of the night and that he knew someone ratted him out. He said he knew it was a detective b/c his chest was puffed out and he could tell the guy had on a vest. Crazy stuff...

filmlover44 · May 2009

Heh..This post made Gothamist & Brownstowner. Must be a slow news day.
http://gothamist.com/2009/05/13/drug_dealing_neighbor.php
http://www.brownstoner.com/brownstoner/archives/2009/05/overheard_on_br.php

meredithb · May 2009

57 posts on Brownstoner?

A bunch of queens, IMO.

jay b · May 2009

Some of those people on those sites are idiots! They talk like I'm some snotty hipster... As if they'd be totally fine with having this outside their door and not being able to sleep during the work week. As if this crap goes on in every building. By the way, just because they are smoking weed does not mean that's what they're selling... the problem is twofold - 1) dealing a drug in the building AND 2) smoking weed in the building hallway at late hours while making lots of noise (think yelling and ringtones, those awful, awful T-Pain ringtones). I am pretty sure they're selling coke or crack.

And I would like to just approach them, but here's the problem. If I do approach them and they choose NOT to quiet down and leave, I've then removed the option of calling the police because they'll know I was the one who called. And then I'm just screwed... until moving day August 1st.

slw · May 2009

The comments thread on Gothamist was equally stupid. Jeez, nothing says "I'm an asshole hipster" like wanting to sleep on nights when you have to work the next day, and a desire to live in safety in your own building. My building was a crack house up until about 6 months before I moved in, and it took another 6 months before all the people who were a part of that lifestyle moved out. People smoking blunts in the stairwell, running up and down the stairs at all hours, screaming fights at 3 in the morning, getting called "cracker" in your own building, doors slamming, and the ringtones. God, the ringtones.

It seems that most of the people who commented on Gothamist have never had to put up with it. For the record, being proud of the discomfort and uncivilized behavior one can put up with doesn't make one superior. It makes one an idiot.

filmlover44 · May 2009

I feel your pain.

Maybe you're just a self entitled asshole wanting peace and quiet and a safe environment for yourself and hey, maybe even your self-entitled hipster kids and your self-entitled hipster old Mother who walks with a freaking cane?

No real New Yorker would want that.

stah00 · May 2009

I am soooo sick of police rarely driving on franklin. Today in the course of 3 hrs not one police care to be seen. There is so much shit going down, I am tired of it! I am going to start calling the police every time I see something, maybe the dealers will move on, that is if the police come at all. Think thats what we all have to do. This is why there are so many closed stores on franklin. Other than people in the police dept who can i contact to put pressure on the police to patrol more. Another thing why all the yelling, can't they talk in a normal voice. Its loud enough with the cars and buses. UGHHHHHHHHH

king without a crown · May 2009

For your info, THERE ARE NO POLICE!!!!!!! theres a class of 250 cops in the Police academy and 5000 less cops then there was 5 years ago.

brooklynpotter · May 2009

wait, then move. unless you feel the drug dealers are putting your life in danger.

if i've learning nothing else by owning an apartment under a psycho renter we can never evict, if you have the chance to get out of the situation, do it asap.

cool the kid · May 2009

Unrepentant Fenian wrote: Or you could just move out of the ghetto.

Yea.... I've been here for a short 2.5 yrs, doesn't look like things will change.

Drug Dealer in Building

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