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Time of India
28-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
‘Market of sweethearts': Frustration grows over sex trafficking crisis in NYC district; AOC missing in action
Frustration is boiling over in Queens, where residents, business owners, and civic leaders are accusing representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of ignoring worsening conditions along Roosevelt Avenue, a stretch now infamous for rampant prostitution, illegal vending, and growing gang activity. 'I have not personally seen Ocasio-Cortez since she's been elected. I have not seen her in the community,' these were the words of Rosa Sanchez, president of the Restore Roosevelt Avenue Coalition. 'I have seen her in a parade — that's it.' Locals say they've been pleading for help as their community, the infamous 'Market of Sweethearts,' spirals into disorder. They claim the congresswoman, who represents a portion of the troubled corridor, has been missing in action. Sanchez said the rise in unlicensed street vendors, some allegedly peddling stolen goods, has put law-abiding shopkeepers on the brink, while victims of sex trafficking are left to suffer without political support. 'You have young women held against their will. They're being sex trafficked. This is not normal,' she said. 'Our community is suffering,' she further told the New York Post. Despite a recent NYPD operation, called "Operation Restore Roosevelt," many believe the efforts were only temporary. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Unsold 2021 Cars Now Almost Free - Prices May Surprise You Unsold Cars | Search Ads Learn More Undo Though crime dipped 28% during the 90-day crackdown, residents say the relief didn't last. Within weeks of police scaling back, illegal vendors returned, and the familiar signs of lawlessness reappeared. Mauricio Zamora, leader of the Neighbors of the American Triangle, told the New York Post that the AOC has 'never' taken meaningful action on the area's core issues. After meeting with Ocasio-Cortez last Friday to discuss the crisis at Corona Plaza, Zamora claimed the congresswoman shifted the blame, saying that broader crime enforcement was the responsibility of the mayor, NYPD, and city officials. That response has not satisfied many in the community, especially when other lawmakers are seen taking more proactive stances. Bronx representative Ritchie Torres, for instance, has openly called on Mayor Eric Adams to clean up The Hub, another hotspot plagued by open-air drug use and prostitution. Many Queens residents say that they've simply never seen their representative. 'No, I have never seen AOC here. I've seen the local city councilman [Francisco Moya]. I've seen the police. I've never seen AOC,' said Jenny Leo, 54, a pharmacist on Roosevelt Avenue. Leo said the situation isn't worsening, but neither is it improving. David Ortega, manager at Bravo Supermarket, said, 'People are stealing meat and beer and laundry detergent. The police come and they take them outside,' he said. 'Two times recently the thieves tell me that they're going to wait for me when I leave. They're not afraid. It is not changing. It is the same.' He added, the AOC 'doesn't come here.' Concerns over gang activity are also escalating. Residents say migrant gangs have exploited the area, emboldened by a strained city infrastructure. In response, local leaders previously appealed to federal authorities, urging the FBI and Homeland Security to step in. Last month, federal officials announced charges against a migrant gang accused of running brothels, selling fake IDs and drugs, and assaulting rivals, all from a base of operations along Roosevelt Avenue. Prosecutors say the gang funnelled money to an illicit network in El Salvador. Former city councilman Hiram Monserrate, now an activist in East Elmhurst, believes more needs to be done, and quickly. 'We want our Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to use her platform to bring in more police officers to stabilize the area. We want our community back,' he said. Monserrate credited the NYPD for the temporary drop in crime but warned that reduced enforcement has left the corridor exposed again. He also called for the return of the 100 state troopers that Governor Kathy Hochul deployed last autumn to support the NYPD. 'We need them back,' he urged. Ocasio-Cortez's team defended her record, saying the congresswoman is 'focused on solutions not credit.' In a post on social media platform X, Ocasio-Cortez said, 'Happy to be back in Corona Plaza to continue our team's conversations with vendors and local business owners about our coordinated efforts to make Roosevelt Avenue a safer and cleaner place.' Spokeswoman Karla Santillan cited Ocasio-Cortez's efforts to fix streetlights, clean up Corona Plaza, and improve sanitation, noting her participation in a community meeting last week. 'The congresswoman is focused on solutions not credit. She has done multiple cleanups of the plaza on the other side, and on the official side has worked with DOT to fix street lights and improve sanitation,' said Santillan.
CBS News
24-06-2025
- CBS News
Crime down along Queens' Roosevelt Avenue after months-long crackdown, officials say
Months-long crackdown along Queens' Roosevelt Avenue leads to crime reduction, officials say Months-long crackdown along Queens' Roosevelt Avenue leads to crime reduction, officials say Months-long crackdown along Queens' Roosevelt Avenue leads to crime reduction, officials say The New York City Police Department's months-long crackdown on alleged illegal activity plaguing Roosevelt Avenue in Queens has resulted in significant crime reductions, city officials said Tuesday. From illegal brothels to gang activity and unlicensed vendors, residents have been complaining of crime and quality of life concerns on Roosevelt Avenue for years. Over the past eight months, the city's "Operation Restore Roosevelt" multi-agency crackdown has aimed to address community concerns. Over 2,500 arrests in Operation Restore Roosevelt, officials say Mayor Eric Adams and NYPD officials touted double-digit declines in crimes across the corridor. According to officials, the decline include: Robberies down 27% Felony assault down 28% Burglaries down 48% Grand larcenies down 29% Sex crimes down 53% "We're using every tool possible, and the numbers speak for themselves. We have a 28 percent drop in crime along Roosevelt Avenue, year to date," Mayor Eric Adams said. They say the city's joint operation with the feds also led to the arrests of eight alleged members of the 18th Street Gang. "Dismantling a network that had been driving violence and disorder in this corridor for years," NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said. Operation Restore Roosevelt has led to 27,821 summonses and 2,501 arrests, including 397 prostitution-related offenses, officials say. The city says it's worked to connect those impacted with services. Crime crackdown gets mixed reactions from Queens residents Reaction among businesses and residents has been mixed. Milton Reyes says last April, the sidewalk outside the pharmacy where he works was lined with illegal vendors. "You couldn't even cross the street," he said. "Because of everything that was going on." But more than a year later, he says it's looking "much, much better" thanks to Operation Restore Roosevelt. Some residents feel there's still a long way to go. "It's like whack-a-mole, really. They get 'em out of one area, they just show up at another one," Queens resident Mike Richard said. "For me, it's the same," another person said. Resident Gilbert Rios said his biggest complaints in the area are prostitution and crime. When asked if he thought the police presence made a difference, he said, "Yeah. When they stay over here, yeah." The NYPD says its presence isn't going anywhere as the city continues its efforts to reduce crime in the area.
New York Post
24-06-2025
- New York Post
NYPD crackdown on seedy migrant ‘Market of Sweethearts' gets results — but sex workers still have tricks up sleeve
Cops have put a major dent in Queens' sleazy 'Market of Sweethearts' migrant sex-peddling strip, but officials admit there's more work to be done — given some illicit hookups are simply moving to nearby cars. Police said Tuesday that crime is down 28% so far this year along Roosevelt Avenue — where an open-air sex market has become the symbol of migrant crime in the Big Apple — thanks to stepped-up efforts from the NYPD to crack down on the seedy strip. Mayor Eric Adams said the enforcement effort — dubbed Operation Restore Roosevelt — along with the recent bust of members of the local 18th Street Gang that has a hand in the seedy operations has sent a message. Advertisement 5 City officials said stepped-up NYPD efforts have led to a 28% drop in crime along Queens' 'Market of Sweethearts.' J.C. Rice 'At the heart of it, what we talked about over and over again, [was] the participation of violent illegal migrants in our city, and one of them was the 18th Street gang,' the mayor said. 'We zeroed in on them, and we were successful in taking them down with our federal partners. 'We are going to collaborate with our federal partners when it deals with criminal encounters,' Adams said. 'And we're using every tool possible, and the numbers speak for themselves. We have a 28% drop in crime along Roosevelt Avenue year-to-date.' Advertisement But officials also acknowledged that some of the migrant sex trade has moved around the block, where women are now turning tricks inside parked cars to dodge New York's Finest. 'We didn't notice any activity until we got to around 90th street,' Deputy Mayor Kaz Daughtry said. 'But we have anticipated this. 5 How The Post told the story. 5 City officials acknowledge that a police crackdown on the migrant sex trade forced some of the seedy activity to simply relocate nearby. NY Post Advertisement 'We had tips coming in, and the tips were, when you guys are focusing on Roosevelt avenue, they are just going to go on the side blocks where the activity is just going to get pushed to the side blocks,' Daughtry said. 'The team was right on top of it. We anticipated that, and I just wanted to acknowledge what the commissioner was saying before and thank you to the commissioner for keeping her foot on the gas when it comes to Roosevelt Avenue.' The bustling Queens strip had been turned into a virtual red-light district, with sex workers walking the avenue in broad daylight, while drugs and stolen goods were also peddled out in the open. Since the start of the year, police reported 2,500 arrests, including nearly 400 tied to the sex trade, issued nearly 28,000 citations and confiscated 877 illegal scooters and mopeds on Roosevelt Avenue. Advertisement Cops have also inspected more than 900 vendors and confiscated 94 dangerous propane tanks. 5 The NYPD said its crackdown on the seedy strip is working. For the New York Post 5 The Roosevelt Avenue hot spot is plagued with issues. For the New York Post 'For too long, Roosevelt Avenue was overwhelmed by illegal activity — from prostitution to unlicensed vendors to violent gangs operating in plain sight,' NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said in a statement. 'This isn't about quick fixes,' Tisch said. 'It's about long-term commitment, and the results speak for themselves.' In the latest blow to the migrant thugs, federal prosecutors last week unsealed an indictment against eight members of the 18th Street Gang, an offshoot of the notorious '54 Tiny Locos' that was heavily involved in drug, gun and prostitution activity along Roosevelt Avenue.
New York Post
09-06-2025
- Politics
- New York Post
AOC, Grace Meng tapped to do more as open-air prostitution, rampant criminality returns to NYC's ‘Market of Sweethearts'
QUEENS, N.Y. – The red lights are back flashing along a notorious prostitution strip in New York City represented by progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng. Along the crammed, grimy sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, sex workers are once again openly soliciting clients while vendors grill meats and hawk suspected stolen or counterfeit goods – despite police waging a months-long crackdown to stop the chaos. Advertisement It's become a way of life – and a years-long blight – for residents in the migrant-dense neighborhood who say they have grown tired of calling on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to act and liken conditions to a 'Red Light district' or a third-world flea market. Others have nicknamed the strip the 'Avenue of the Sweethearts,' given its reputation for women purportedly turning tricks 8 Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Zohran Mamdani take part in the annual Puerto Rican day parade on Sunday afternoon. LP Media 'All the criminal activity has reverted to the way it was last year,' Ramses Frias, a local activist and Republican City Council candidate, told Fox News Digital. 'Our residents feel like prisoners in their own homes while criminals walk freely, preying on helpless victims.' Advertisement He said gangs like the 18th Street gang and Tren de Aragua are suspected of operating in the area since various spots are graffiti – tagged with their insignia. Fox News Digital visited Roosevelt Avenue after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall last month and witnessed as many as 30 women on one block appearing to offer sex for money to Friday night revelers while parents and children walked by. 8 New York Post cover from July 30th, 2023. Advertisement The women were jostling men and enticing them for sex despite a visible police presence nearby. Most women operate on Meng's side of the strip; the majority of vendors are on Ocasio-Cortez's side, with their district border running through the center of the street. Hours before the town hall, other sidewalks were jammed with vendors flogging counterfeit Apple headphones and watches and tools. Food vendors sizzled meats at vendor stalls and kept juices in massive, unlabeled canisters under the gritty subway underpass – devoid of any labels or apparent sanitation or health and safety standards. Fruit and ice-cream stalls also permeated the busy strip. Fox News Digital returned to the neighborhood on Friday and witnessed much of the same rampant prostitution and illegal vending. Additionally, several women were threading eyebrows along a sidewalk on a commercial street just off Roosevelt Avenue, while men were selling sneakers from cars and other food vendors were seen dumping wastewater down drains. 8 Women believed to be sex workers or prostitutes, standing in front of storefronts on Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, NY. For the New York Post Advertisement Residents have warned for months that Operation Restore Roosevelt – a 90-day enhanced police crime crackdown on the area which started in October – needed to be made permanent and that the warming weather would likely see more scantily-clad women appear on the streets. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry told Fox News Digital that the boots-on-the-ground operation, which consisted of more than 200 additional police officers, reduced crime by 29% in the area so far this year and significantly reduced criminal activity. 'There has been a notable difference,' Daughtry said. 'Robberies are down 23%, felony assaults are down 33%, burglaries are down 47%, and grand larceny is down 30%.' 8 15 brothels out of 30 court filings have been raided. For the New York Post Daughtry said he wants the work to have 'a real, lasting difference,' while saying that a lot still needs to be done. He said 15 brothels were raided out of 30 court filings made by the police. For instance, days after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall, authorities shut down a notorious brothel, dubbed the 'bodega brothel' by locals, which was operating above a corner store near two schools in Ocasio-Cortez's district. Video from inside the cat house obtained by Fox News Digital shows squalid conditions, with five cramped, makeshift rooms sectioned off by wooden panels and shower curtains with just enough room to fit a bed in every one of them. On Tuesday, two brothels were raided by police on Meng's side of Roosevelt Avenue, the same block where Fox News Digital observed 30 alleged prostitutes. Frias said a large crowd gathered to watch the sweep, some heckling the alleged johns as they were cuffed and taken into custody while suspected prostitutes were led out with their heads covered in shower curtains to shield their identities. 8 Meng described the situation as 'concerning' and claims to be working with local law enforcement. Getty Images Advertisement Frias said the crowd reaction proved the neighborhood is fully aware of the illicit activity and is fed up, but that three to four other brothels are operating on that same block. Frias added that residents are terrified to walk the streets and would rather stay home than step outside. 'Our laws need to become stricter, and it's time to elect representatives who have the best interests of the community and its safety as a priority,' said Frias, who's looking to oust City Council member Shekar Krishnan in District 25. He blasted Ocasio-Cortez in particular, saying she has never used her massive social media presence to address the dire situation. Daughtry, too, called on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to do more. He and the mayor's office said the pair did not collaborate with them in the police crackdown. 'Never seen her,' Daughtry said about Ocasio-Cortez. 'She's never reached out to us. We would really love her assistance to help us, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's right and restore some law and order back to Roosevelt. I would like AOC to partner with us… use her platform to help us get funding or connect women to services.' Advertisement 8 Activist Ramses Frias called Ocasio-Cortez out for not using her massive social media presence to address this issue. Kevin C Downs forThe New York Post Daughtry said issues like prostitution have permeated the area for decades, and he remembers it being a hot spot for prostitution in the '90s. He said the migrant crisis exacerbated the situation as many migrants were drawn to the area, given that it already has a large Latin American population. Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded Operation Restore Roosevelt in collaboration with the NYPD and City Council member Francisco Moya, a moderate Democrat who has often been at odds with his party's progressive wing. Daughtry said Moya was a 'huge partner' who physically walked Roosevelt Avenue with him and participated in raids, as did Adams. Adams' office said the operation underscored the administration's commitment to 'making sure these crime and quality-of-life issues continue to improve.' Advertisement 8 Operation Restore Roosevelt has continues to try and restore the community. For the New York Post Meng, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital she is working with local law enforcement and Moya on the matter and described the situation as 'concerning.' Ocasio-Cortez's office told Fox News Digital that she has engaged with local stakeholders in the area and helped fix lights in the neighborhood. The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. Advertisement Residents Andrew Sokolof Diaz and John Szewczuk told Fox News Digital outside the event that the Roosevelt Avenue problem is a long-standing issue and that local lawmakers must do more to address it. 8 The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. For the New York Post Resident Mark LaVergne pinned much of the blame on Ocasio-Cortez for not doing more and said he felt many of the women were likely trafficked into that murky underground world. 'I feel very sad… There's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd Street and I noticed that above that there is some sort of thing going on, and I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers,' LaVergne said. 'I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here, probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected.'
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
AOC, progressives ripped for ignoring 'Red Light' district as prostitution, filthy streets return
The red lights are back flashing along a notorious prostitution strip in New York City represented by progressive Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng. Along the crammed, grimy sidewalks of Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, sex workers are once again openly soliciting clients while vendors grill meats and hawk suspected stolen or counterfeit goods – despite police waging a months-long crackdown to stop the chaos. It's become a way of life – and a years-long blight – for residents in the migrant-dense neighborhood who say they have grown tired of calling on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to act and liken conditions to a "Red Light district" or a third-world flea market. Others have nicknamed the strip the "Avenue of the Sweethearts," given its reputation for women purportedly turning tricks. Leaders In Aoc's 'Red Light' District Call On Kash Patel To Crush 'Worsening' Gang Crime And Prostitution "All the criminal activity has reverted to the way it was last year," Ramses Frias, a local activist and Republican City Council candidate, told Fox News Digital. "Our residents feel like prisoners in their own homes while criminals walk freely, preying on helpless victims." He said gangs like the 18th Street gang and Tren de Aragua are suspected of operating in the area since various spots are graffiti-tagged with their insignia. Read On The Fox News App Fox News Digital visited Roosevelt Avenue after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall last month and witnessed as many as 30 women on one block appearing to offer sex for money to Friday night revelers while parents and children walked by. The women were jostling men and enticing them for sex despite a visible police presence nearby. Most women operate on Meng's side of the strip; the majority of vendors are on Ocasio-Cortez's side, with their district border running through the center of the street. PHOTOS: Swipe to see more images Hours before the town hall, other sidewalks were jammed with vendors flogging counterfeit Apple headphones and watches and tools. Food vendors sizzled meats at vendor stalls and kept juices in massive, unlabeled canisters under the gritty subway underpass – devoid of any labels or apparent sanitation or health and safety standards. Fruit and ice-cream stalls also permeated the busy strip. Fox News Digital returned to the neighborhood on Friday and witnessed much of the same rampant prostitution and illegal vending. Additionally, several women were threading eyebrows along a sidewalk on a commercial street just off Roosevelt Avenue, while men were selling sneakers from cars and other food vendors were seen dumping wastewater down drains. Residents have warned for months that Operation Restore Roosevelt – a 90-day enhanced police crime crackdown on the area which started in October – needed to be made permanent and that the warming weather would likely see more scantily-clad women appear on the streets. NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry told Fox News Digital that the boots-on-the-ground operation, which consisted of more than 200 additional police officers, reduced crime by 29% in the area so far this year and significantly reduced criminal activity. "There has been a notable difference," Daughtry said. "Robberies are down 23%, felony assaults are down 33%, burglaries are down 47%, and grand larceny is down 30%." Daughtry said he wants the work to have "a real, lasting difference," while saying that a lot still needs to be done. He said 15 brothels were raided out of 30 court filings made by the police. Aoc's 'Red Light' District Overrun With Prostitutes As Locals Call Out Mia 'Squad' Member For instance, days after Ocasio-Cortez's town hall, authorities shut down a notorious brothel, dubbed the "bodega brothel" by locals, which was operating above a corner store near two schools in Ocasio-Cortez's district. Video from inside the cat house obtained by Fox News Digital shows squalid conditions, with five cramped, makeshift rooms sectioned off by wooden panels and shower curtains with just enough room to fit a bed in every one of them. On Tuesday, two brothels were raided by police on Meng's side of Roosevelt Avenue, the same block where Fox News Digital observed 30 alleged prostitutes. Frias said a large crowd gathered to watch the sweep, some heckling the alleged johns as they were cuffed and taken into custody while suspected prostitutes were led out with their heads covered in shower curtains to shield their identities. Frias said the crowd reaction proved the neighborhood is fully aware of the illicit activity and is fed up, but that three to four other brothels are operating on that same block. Frias added that residents are terrified to walk the streets and would rather stay home than step outside. "Our laws need to become stricter, and it's time to elect representatives who have the best interests of the community and its safety as a priority," said Frias, who's looking to oust City Council member Shekar Krishnan in District 25. He blasted Ocasio-Cortez in particular, saying she has never used her massive social media presence to address the dire situation. Daughtry, too, called on Ocasio-Cortez and Meng to do more. He and the mayor's office said the pair did not collaborate with them in the police crackdown. "Never seen her," Daughtry said about Ocasio-Cortez. "She's never reached out to us. We would really love her assistance to help us, but at the end of the day, we have to do what's right and restore some law and order back to Roosevelt. I would like AOC to partner with us... use her platform to help us get funding or connect women to services." Aoc's 'Red Light District' Plagued By Crime As Democrat Who Helped Her Rise To Power Says She 'Disappeared' Daughtry said issues like prostitution have permeated the area for decades, and he remembers it being a hot spot for prostitution in the '90s. He said the migrant crisis exacerbated the situation as many migrants were drawn to the area, given that it already has a large Latin American population. Mayor Eric Adams spearheaded Operation Restore Roosevelt in collaboration with the NYPD and City Council member Francisco Moya, a moderate Democrat who has often been at odds with his party's progressive wing. Daughtry said Moya was a "huge partner" who physically walked Roosevelt Avenue with him and participated in raids, as did Adams. Adams' office said the operation underscored the administration's commitment to "making sure these crime and quality-of-life issues continue to improve." Meng, meanwhile, told Fox News Digital she is working with local law enforcement and Moya on the matter and described the situation as "concerning." Ocasio-Cortez's office told Fox News Digital that she has engaged with local stakeholders in the area and helped fix lights in the neighborhood. The situation on Roosevelt Avenue was not raised by Ocasio-Cortez at her town hall, nor by constituents who spoke in a question-and-answer portion. Residents Andrew Sokolof Diaz and John Szewczuk told Fox News Digital outside the event that the Roosevelt Avenue problem is a long-standing issue and that local lawmakers must do more to address it. Resident Mark LaVergne pinned much of the blame on Ocasio-Cortez for not doing more and said he felt many of the women were likely trafficked into that murky underground world. "I feel very sad… There's a Dunkin' Donuts I frequent on Roosevelt and 82nd Street and I noticed that above that there is some sort of thing going on, and I see the look in the eyes of these sex workers," LaVergne said. "I really feel sorry for them. Some of them are here, probably under difficult situations. Maybe they were forced here, maybe they're forced to do this kind of work. You've got to take care of the people that'll get you elected. I mean, that just seems like the most just thing. That's justice. Taking care of the people who got you elected."Original article source: AOC, progressives ripped for ignoring 'Red Light' district as prostitution, filthy streets return
