San Francisco city attorney cracks down on drug and gambling dens

San Francisco City Attorney Launches Major Crackdown on Drug and Gambling Dens Masquerading as Convenience Stores

In a sweeping move to reclaim the streets of San Francisco from illicit activity, City Attorney David Chiu has announced an aggressive crackdown targeting convenience stores operating as fronts for drug trafficking and illegal gambling operations. The announcement comes as city officials push to expand the existing nighttime safety ordinance, aiming to disrupt open-air drug markets and protect vulnerable communities from criminal exploitation.

The crackdown represents a coordinated effort between the City Attorney’s Office and the San Francisco Police Department (SFPD), with authorities reporting that nine stores have already been shut down or sued in the past 18 months alone. These establishments, according to Chiu’s office, served as magnets for drug activity, with some stores allegedly selling illegal narcotics directly to customers under the guise of legitimate retail operations.

“These convenience stores were magnets for drug activity, and, in some cases, the stores were selling illegal drugs themselves,” Chiu stated in his newly-released official statement. “Most businesses contribute positively to our neighborhoods, but a handful of late-night retail establishments, like the ones we have shut down, attract significant criminal activity.”

The nighttime safety ordinance, originally passed in July 2024, was developed through extensive collaboration with Tenderloin neighborhood residents as part of a comprehensive strategy to dismantle open-air drug markets plaguing the area. The ordinance implemented a two-year pilot program prohibiting certain retail stores in designated high-traffic “drug market areas” from operating between 12:00 AM and 5:00 AM. The restrictions primarily target convenience stores and corner markets, while exempting restaurants, bars, and event venues that typically operate under different regulatory frameworks.

SFPD Chief Derrick Lew has thrown his full support behind the initiative, emphasizing the department’s commitment to maintaining public safety through aggressive enforcement. “The San Francisco Police Department is committed to keeping our streets clean and safe, and that includes cracking down on businesses violating the Nighttime Safety Ordinance or engaging in other illegal activity,” Lew declared. “We will continue to be relentless in our enforcement against illegal drug markets in every way imaginable.”

The coordinated enforcement strategy has already yielded significant results, with authorities successfully targeting nine problematic establishments that allegedly violated the ordinance or engaged in other illegal activities. These closures represent just the beginning of what city officials describe as a sustained campaign to eliminate criminal

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