Detectives took action this morning to close and padlock Star Market, located at 1613 Buchanan Street, citing ongoing disruptions due to activities such as drug deals, gunshots, drunkenness, and fighting. The closure was carried out under a public nuisance temporary injunction and padlocking order issued by Criminal Court Judge Steve Dozier, in cooperation with the District Attorney’s Office and the MNPD.
Specialized Investigations Division detectives, with assistance from SWAT, and officers from the North and West Precincts, as well as the Fraud and Pawn Units, and TBI HIDTA members, arrived at the market early today to execute the closure. The market will remain shut until a hearing before Judge Dozier scheduled for Thursday.
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Chief John Drake stated, “This extreme action is not taken lightly but is absolutely necessary as we work to restore peace and quiet in this neighborhood.”
The operators of Star Market, Bolis Boktor, 44, Basem Farag, 43, and Atef Abdelmaseh, 51, have been accused of showing reckless disregard and deliberate indifference to the neighborhood’s peace and safety. The MNPD has documented multiple criminal activities occurring at and around the market, including fighting, shootings, assaults, drug use, criminal trespassing, and vandalism of other properties.
Despite a meeting in August 2022 where the market’s operators promised to address these issues, complaints and police responses have continued. Since August 2022, there have been over 60 documented police interventions, and an affidavit from Detective Mike Collazo details 424 instances of police response between January 1, 2019, and May 31, 2024.
Simultaneously with the padlocking of Star Market, MNPD detectives executed a search warrant at F & B Mart, another property owned by Boktor and Farag. An investigation revealed that the men were involved in buying and reselling stolen merchandise. Items worth $10,999.28 were sold to them for $890 as part of the investigation.
Boktor and Farag were arrested this morning on charges of money laundering, organized retail crime, and attempted theft of property.
Source: Read Original Release
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