The outdoor prescription drug market in Washington Heights has been shut down.
New York City police apprehended several individuals involved in the sale of prescription drugs on Tuesday, just days after an exclusive report highlighted the open drug dealing happening in the area.
A minimum of six police vehicles converged on West 181st Street, as dealers hastily dispersed with their products.
“Why would they do that?” a nearby observer questioned.
“Because they don’t pay taxes,” another bystander quipped.
This pill market, featured in a recent exposé, previously had around 20 sellers offering a range of medications—from pain relievers to ED treatments to antibiotics—across a 10-block stretch between West 179th and West 183rd Streets near St. Nicholas Street.
As ominous clouds gathered on Tuesday, some dealers remained at their posts, with local resident Carlos Martinez casually waving goodbye as he left the makeshift market. “It’s just the same stuff you find in pharmacies,” he remarked.
One vendor had been offering various pills and creams imported from Honduras and the Dominican Republic for just $5, well below retail prices that could reach $30.
Another seller was pushing vitamins that appeared to be sourced from Walgreens and CVS, as well as other products claimed to be from Africa.
The operation came to a sudden end when someone ran down West 181st Street shouting, “Police! Police!” in Spanish.
A man hurriedly wrapped up most of his goods, bundling them in sheets and leaving them on the sidewalk, while other vendors also made a quick exit as police moved in.
Officers collected the leftover merchandise—milk crates, umbrellas, and folding chairs—and disposed of it in a sanitation truck.
A worker from a nearby store came out to assess what was happening. “Those pills could be lethal,” she commented, referring to the drugs being sold.
