A group of drug dealers have set up shop in Washington Square Park in New York City, where frustrated residents and police say they are openly selling psilocybin mushrooms, weed edibles and more from makeshift stalls.
According to reports from local residents, the park has been marred in recent years by drug addicts, vagrants and spates of violent incidents, all while law enforcement has its hands tied.
Across the park, one can find tie-dye blankets and psychedelic prints on display at stalls offering illegal items like pre-rolled joints and cannabis-infused edibles, as well as jars and ziplock bags filled with psychedelic shrooms.
Vendors brazenly call out their prices, attracting unsuspecting college students, tourists and even elderly residents.
In one instance, a photographer attempted to document the shrooms, prompting the dealer to threaten physical harm before fleeing with his stash.
According to one dealer, the surge in demand for psychedelic mushrooms started when weed became legal, prompting more sellers to display the mushrooms openly in stalls.
Although psilocybin is classified as a Schedule I narcotic in New York State, lawmakers introduced legislation earlier this year to legalize it, citing research suggesting its potential benefits in treating mental health illnesses.
Despite the potential dangers associated with uncontrolled usage, law enforcement and park patrols do little to crack down on the flagrant drug dealing. Some park enforcement patrol officers merely instruct dealers to keep their pre-rolled joints hidden from public view.
“No cops are gonna do anything,” one park visitor said. “They were told to back off and let the criminals do whatever and let the honest people live in fear.”
Local residents have expressed outrage and fear, worrying that unchecked drug sales will lead to further chaos and violence. The park, which already faced issues during the height of the pandemic, has now become a hub for drug use and unruly behavior.
“I have elderly neighbors who tell me to be careful when I come to the park. They don’t come … because they feel it’s dangerous. I don’t come here after dark,” one resident told The Post.
Amid the concern over the brazen drug sales, a recent stabbing death inside the park has left residents on edge, and statistics show a significant increase in felony assault compared to the previous year.
Indeed, NYPD statistics show that felony assaults are up 30%in the 6th Precinct, which includes the park.
Law enforcement experts fear that the loose regulations will only embolden the dealers to escalate their activities, potentially leading to the sale of even more dangerous substances in the open-air stalls.
“This is ‘broken windows’ theory in practice. [Police officers] are not addressing it, so they’re going to get more brazen, they’re going to get braver. Like, ‘Hey, no one’s stopping us, let’s sell other stuff,’” John Jay College of Criminal Justice Professor Michael Alcazar said.
“We used to call it the underground economy, but it’s not underground, it’s right in the open,” the former NYPD vice squad investigator said. “What used to be something that they hid from the police now it’s just out in the open. That’s indicative of how bold these criminals are becoming.”
Washington Square Park is located in Greenwich Village, a neighborhood in lower Manhattan, New York City.
