(NewsWorthy.news) – A Burger King location in New York City has been sued for allowing the building to be turned into a neighborhood drug dealership.
69-year-old Kevin Kaufman, a local who has lived on the block of Fulton Street for two decades, filed the lawsuit with the Supreme Court in Manhattan. He accused the fast-food spot of having become a “base of operation” for up to 10 “professional drug dealers” to conduct their business.
According to the plaintiff, the “only ones” in a position to correct the situation are police officers—who he says are “doing everything they can” but are held back by the liberal city’s “bail reform” policies. This makes those arrested for low-level felonies and misdemeanors eligible for release instead of requiring them to make cash bail or stay in jail until a trial or hearing. Even within the alleged Burger King drug dealings, those involved who have been taken into custody are “back within 24 hours.”
Kaufman said in court documents that his street is “a neighborhood in crisis” due to the gang’s drug activity. He added that the ringleaders of the operation have a history of criminal behavior that is “well known” by local authorities. He further described the Burger King drug problem as something that is “terrorizing” the area and transforming it into “an open air drug bazaar.”
One recent investigation initiated by the New York Post reported that eight men and one woman were observed at the Burger King in recent weeks, preventing customers from entering. Individuals who did make it through the doors then seemed to be presented with the opportunity to buy drugs from the dealers. The outlet also noted that they did not order food while inside but instead used the store “as their office” to hold meetings.
Kaufman also blamed Lalmir Sultanzada, the restaurant’s owner, for not increasing security on his own and just letting the police take care of the matter. The local has accused both the corporate office of Burger King and Sultanzada’s individual store of violating the private nuisance law of the state of New York.
The restaurant owner admitted the problem of the drug-dealing gang but said it is “not my problem” and left it up to the police.
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