The open-air drug market in the Bronx has been cleared, but long-term solutions are still needed

An “open-air drug market” on Melrose Avenue in the Bronx that sparked outrage from lawmakers and residents earlier this month has undergone significant changes following an NYPD crackdown.

On September 14, FOX 5 visited a block of Melrose Avenue north of East 149th Street that was lined with people openly using and selling drugs. Some drug users were barely conscious, while another lay unconscious on the sidewalk near a puddle of his own vomit.

Following FOX 5's report and repeated calls for action from Rep. Ritchie Torres and other lawmakers, city officials and NYPD officers flocked to the neighborhood.

For Hassan, a local shopkeeper, the change was a long time coming.

“It’s perfect now,” said Hassan. “Clean.”

However, residents say the change is not a permanent solution and that many of the users simply moved nearby and congregated in Roberto Clemente Plaza. FOX 5's cameras saw officers politely telling addicts they couldn't stay on the block, but many simply walked across the street to continue their activities.

Many residents say the city needs to allocate more money for services to get to the root of the problem.

“They all have problems and problems that they need to work on and instead of just pushing them aside, figure out what the problem is, the placement, the jobs, whatever needs to be done,” said Pam, who is in lives nearby. “Let them find what they need.”

Congressman Ritchie Torres echoed that sentiment. While he was pleased with the improvements, he warned that the city had merely “displaced” the crisis rather than solving it.

“If we were in front of One Police Plaza, City Hall, or in a neighborhood like the Upper East Side of Manhattan or Park Slope, Brooklyn, an open-air drug market would never be allowed to thrive,” Torres said.