WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley says that police will do more to get rid of empty lots and abandoned houses in the northern part of the city.
Nearly 30 people were arrested this week on charges of selling drugs or working as prostitutes.
Sixteen of those people were also charged with racketeering as part of Operation Blockbuster, an organized crime bust in the Northwood Harbor area, north of 45th Street and Broadway Avenue.
“I think everyone knows about it. Lisa Sawin, who has lived on 56th Street for a year, said, “Once they target an area, they are everywhere and keep coming back until the area is clean.” She’s glad the cops have caught the people.
West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley says that their work is not done even though they have made the arrests.
He says that the owners of empty, growing lots and abandoned homes in the area need to be punished because these places are sometimes used for illegal activities.
“It’s a problem for us because these foreign owners aren’t working with us. West Palm Beach Police Chief Frank Adderley said, “We have people on their property, but for us to take action, like a trespass, we need the property owners to step up and work with us and not let these people trespass on their property.”
He says that one of his police officers is trying to find these property owners, get in touch with them, tell them what’s going on in the area, and ask for their help to stop the crooks.
