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Video Exposes Dallas Open-Air Drug Den

drug den
Some syringes lie on the ground | Image by Mikewildadventure/Pixabay

An apparent drug den was discovered within Dallas city limits, not in the depths of some murky basement but in plain sight.

Local media personality Alex Stein tweeted a video on Twitter of what appears to be an open-air drug den next to a highway overpass west of University Park. The video showcased multiple people seemingly buying, selling, and using different types of illicit drugs.

Some of these individuals were shown reacting violently to Stein’s presence, with some throwing objects at him after he asked to interview them.

The types of drugs being used at this site were not confirmed. However, individuals were observed smoking some sort of substance.

The Dallas Express went out to inspect this alleged open-air drug den and found that the area was filled with trash and other discarded items. However, the individuals seen in the video were not encountered on the visit.

While investigating the area, The Dallas Express spoke to Bishal Shrestha, the owner of a nearby convenience store and restaurant. He confirmed the existence of the drug den near his business.

Shrestha opened his convenience store with an attached restaurant six months prior and said he has been dealing with people associated with the drug den next door ever since.

“The problem for us is like we get an overwhelming number of people just standing here, and sometimes in the store, they steal things,” said Shrestha.

Shrestha said that he had attempted to contact police “more than 10 times” to deal with the intruders, but that police only responded half the time and provided no solution.

“I’m trying to make a living off of this small business and it’s hard,” said Shrestha.

Michael Dennis, public information officer for the Dallas Police Department (DPD), told The Dallas Express that its Special Investigations Division is aware of the original video and is working to resolve the situation in collaboration with DPD’s Patrol Division, the Office of Homeless Solutions, and other partners.

To Jake Colglazier, executive director of Keep Dallas Safe, the open-air drug den and the homeless and vagrant encampments that are allowed to exist within the City limits call to mind the urban blight more commonly found in places like Portland and San Francisco.

In a recent opinion piece, Colglazier claimed that local policies have “incentivized the kinds of behaviors that make cities like Dallas ultimately unlivable for law-abiding citizens.”

In a subsequent interview with The Dallas Express, he argued:

“All you have to do is make it more difficult for those people to stay on the streets, and the city council pretends like that’s very difficult.”

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60 Comments

  1. Joe G.

    It goes on under EVERY overpass on Central. Under the Walnut Hill bridge, several addicts were waving needles in their arms at passing cars one evening when I was driving home. I called 911 and they wouldn’t even take the call.

    Reply
  2. Julianne Thorne

    If Dallas does not get lawlessness under control now, it will not take long for it to turn like other large, lawless cities.

    Reply
    • Tim

      Another Democrat run city. Thank God I don’t live there.

      Reply
      • Lib Grimmett

        We moved out of Dallas County last year & so glad we did!

        Reply
      • R Reason

        We’re glad, too.

        Reply
    • Wolfman

      Difficult to do when we keep re-electing anti police Dimocrats.

      Reply
    • E H

      Too late. It has already happened. The homeless, drug-addicted vagrant population already runs the show and they know it.

      Reply
  3. Paul W.

    Seems to happen when Democrats run any city.

    Reply
    • Frank Hayes

      Curious as to what a republican regime would do to correct the issue I would wager NOTHING which is exactly ALL they ‘do’.

      Reply
      • rudy

        REMEMBER Trump’s response in his debate with Hillary when asked what his solution would be…….LAW AND ORDER! It;s that simple folks. But e re-elected Cruezot…..

        Reply
        • Bill Fox

          And then we all came to discover what type of criminal Trump is when NY revealed how his businesses run, he then tried to stage a coup to stay in power, and lastly he tried to steal confidential and not return them after National Archives asked many times.

          Crime started going up while he was in office. Unfortunately, we can’t blame it all on him directly. Recent crime is largely related to the pandemic and the sagging economy, which his handling of both were subpar and we can blame on him.

          🙂

          Reply
          • Vicky Maynor

            The pandemic is over, Sir. Crime is.a result of criminals not being brought to justice. The horrific economy and inflation problems are a direct result of Biden’s policies. The surge of illegals into our country and here in our back yard is 100% on Biden. You can’t compare our economy under Trump to this failure of Biden’s with a straight face.

          • Anna Williams

            Mr. Fox I don’t always agree with you but today, I have to. I don’t remember Former President Obama trying to hang VP Biden.

            When the Obama/Biden inherited the former Bush/Cheny Administration we were losing 850,000 jobs a month. The Stock Market was in the toilet. GM and Chrysler were going out of business and the housing market horrible.

            When they left in 2017 the Market was up. The economy was doing great. In comes the worst presidency in history.

            A drug den in Texas in a Republican state
            maybe you need to check who they are VOTING for. They forgot who corrected the Democrat polices. You spoke the truth Mr. Fox, what Christian would be Okay with hanging the VP of the United State of America.

          • James Howard

            The cities of Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio are and have been controlled by Democrats since before the Obama administration. The city governments are accountable for their conditions. Not state or federal government. Look to the mayors office, the City Manager’s office, the County Commissioner’s office and the DA’s office for someone to blame for this mess, before passing the buck.

          • John Gault

            Try reading up on Barney Frank of New York. His legislation started the whole housing crisis with his great idea of no down payment loans with giant balloon payments due down the road. People who didn’t deserve loans got them with no possible way of ever paying them back.
            Another democratic manufactured crisis.

          • Djea3

            Actually, within 2 weeks of Biden taking office building materials went up on average 300 percent. Since then food, medicines and fuel have remained at all time highs.

            We are now finding PROOF that Fascist Leftists in government, including Democrat elected officials and FBI etc have been PAYING and USING social media to control popular opinion (to that of yours actually) and violating the civil rights of conservatives in doing so…with NO arrests against them.

            We find this same control over media was used to forward lies about C-19 vaccine safety. Foreign governments and medical specialists have now come to full consensus that these “vaccines” are not efficacious and in fact are killing people and permanently disabling others.

            The Sumer after Biden’s election riots destroyed Billions of dollars across the United States. The LEFTISTS were rioting and looting Billions of dollars gone and almost ZERO ARRESTS, now a single arrest even for the deaths involved! Yet Thousands arrests for being in the capital area during police brutality and attack by the DC police who are NOT supposed to police capital mall at all (different police department there buddy).

            Also, as I recall, the state of NY and all democrats have been attempting to find something on Trump to find him guilty of for over 8 years now without results. The problem is Your belief in the liars and not Trump.

            THE DEMOCRAT PARTY, including Pelosi and HRC have been PROVEN to hire a foreign SPY to create false documents tying Trump to Russia, all FELONIOUS ACTS an no arrests of any Democrat or any actor.

            There was NO Coup at all, not eve,r and WHEN you begin to see the video records of the murders by Capital Police and the atrocities approaching Kent State in ferocity then you will be rightfully ashamed of yourself for ever believing ONE word of the left. Or not, as you probably are not capable of autonomous cognizance, but only group controlled thought.

          • Magruder

            Crime started going up under Obama

          • Tamara shaw

            Y’all need someone to blame,when at the end of the day,crime been up since forever,has nothing to do with Republican or democrat it has everything to do with the person committing it

          • Mike Allen

            You are correct to a point, but, when there are no consequences to committing crime, people become repeat offenders and the crime rate sky rockets. This is on democrats and people like george soros who back DA’s such as Creuzot who promote this activity.

          • John Gault

            Can you name the charges that Trump has been charged with in NY?
            The crime that went up during his term took place in democratically controlled cities and states that refused to call on their own National Guard during the Floyd riots all across the country. Instead they defunded their police agencies and made crime worse.
            Try watching something else other than CNN or PBS.

          • Anna Williams

            Not paying contractors finished work, defrauded students, and taking his brother’s money he inherited from their father Their is not enough space on this e-mail.

      • Tim

        Let’s find out…start voting Republican. What the hell do you have to lose?

        Reply
        • Anna Williams

          How about your Social Security, 401K, Homes. You will be taxed like Hell. More money for the border. Remember the 1 billion that Trump took from the Pentagon and the 250, 000, 000 from the Texas budget that Abbott gave to help finish the Border Wall. What happened to that money. Remember all the contractors who went to the border for nothing because Trump son-law Jared chose one of his buddies to finish the wall. Now Jarred is a billionaire and the wall was never finished but the poor MAGA people were taken.

          Reply
          • John Gault

            Funny, I don’t feel as if I were taken by Trump. I recall a booming economy and $2.00 gasoline, stable food prices and on time airlines.

          • R C

            Accuse your opponent of what you are guilty of. Tactic straight out of the communist/democrat playbook

          • Anna Williams

            Me finishing the wall. Come join me R C.
            Communist, not my style I would never disrespect people or try to enslave them or take their God given RIGHTS.

        • Tamara shaw

          All respect

          Reply
      • Thomas

        NOTHING might just be the better answer. If there were NO outlays to support homeless people, they just might move on to other liberal cities that will give them benefits to support their lifestyle.

        Reply
        • Tamara shaw

          Y’all are sad individuals I just hope u are not doctors or lawyers

          Reply
          • Thomas

            I have 4 homeless people living with me. The difference between me and the city is that I demand they get on their own two feet. If within a year they don’t, I send them back to the streets, and take in someone else. I’m giving help, not a free ride.

            How many have you taken in, or do you just expect someone else to deal with, and pay for the problem?

      • Mar

        Don’t be a pinhead , Frank

        Reply
      • John Gault

        I can tell you they would certainly not defund the police like the dems did in so many of our cities. That squarely on the shoulders of the democratic party.

        Reply
    • Vanessa

      As a poc, i will go 1 step further, 1) they r democrat 2)POC, Male/female, 3)the ABC’s of all kinds of gender identity groups, but i am so disappointed that these groups are failing and whosoever is pulling the strings of this experiment, it is killing people and stealing from the electorate but it’s the electorate that keep putting incompetents in ofc election after election, i am not saying that only Whites are more successful in running the government, but something is insidious in this mix, this experiment.
      I do believe if the politicians were not such a greedy and GRIFTER class of people we might just have a chance. This may not be popular but i am done. I have said the quiet part out LOUD!!

      Reply
  4. Bill Fox

    Yeah, let’s blame the world’s problem with drugs and homelessness on a single party. Hahaha!

    Reply
    • Donald

      Me. Fox, read the book of Job. Job talks about people like you in detail. You are an exact example what Job talks about a fool.
      By the time you stop listening to the Communist media and you pull your head out I’d you A$$ it will be too late. Our country is going to hell because of Democratic Communist Party. They want to distort our Republic. You support the Communist party hence move out of the way let us fix what you are destroying.

      As Mr. T would say “Don’t be a FOOL Sucker.

      I normally do not post on social media but I could not help replying to you idiotic comment. We have free speach in the US your Communist Party that you entrust is taking it away. I respect the fact that you can make foolish comments and you are protected.

      This will lot last FOOL!

      Reply
      • Anna Williams

        Sir my grandson is graduating by high school in May, he has several offers to play football but he is choosing to join the military. He looks at his cousin Gold Star of which his mother received after his death in Iraq. He never asked the soldiers he saved what party they were affiliated with. It was about giving up his life.

        If you think America is bad go next door to Mexico, where Americans are getting work visa’s to build home there and rent their homes there and renew their visas once every six months.

        The Governor and his sidekicks say nothing about this. We get visa but people who want to come to America and work can’t. You are talking about communism and my grandson wants to protect our nation! God help us please, we have lost our Damn minds.

        Reply
      • Tamara shaw

        It says Donald,had to be trump and sir u are the fool that Job speaks of,God is still n charge

        Reply
      • Anna Williams

        Didn’t Former President Trump call soldiers Loser’s and Suckers.

        Which name do you call my nephew a loser and sucker for protecting other soldiers for giving up his life. Or my grandson who want to join the Military a loser or sucker?

        Reply
    • John Gault

      Great, I’ve finally found someone that can adequately explain to me why it is that the worst crime and drug problems are occurring in Dem controlled cities.
      Let’s see, defunding the police, open borders. Not exactly Republican party platforms.

      Reply
      • Anna Williams

        Yes it is! You want to defund the FBI, CIA and the police as long as they do what you want them to do.

        These Republicans are the old Dixiecrat’s not Democrats. I guess you don’t know your history, the Republicans passed the Civil Rights Bill. You Dixiecrats still had hoods on your head. Pitiful Lord and sad!

        Reply
  5. J S

    People should blame the far over paid incompetent mayor and other politicians as they continue to refuse to fix rela problems.in this city. Blame Abbott and Paxton Cruz patchy and the restbof them.as well. All the Texas politicians are guilty.
    Many Texans are easily as guilty as they refuse to do anything butnpoint their fingers at others do nothing to alleviate problems in in Texas and blame the most vulnerable for everything yet accept no responsibility for their lack of actions

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      We have a surplus of 32.9 billion in Texas, what will the 3 Musketeers do with this money. We are receiving 10.9 billion from the Omnibus Bill. Now, the Republicans Party in Texas I guess want to hang John Coryn for signing this bill.

      Thank you Senator Coryn for having the guts to give cities, schools, Grids and senior who have been paying high Insulin cost a chance. The Lottery was supposed to give schools money. That money went where under a Republican run state. The border is a Texas responsibility, not a government responsibility. Poor people have been giving this Republican Run State money to repair the wall, we have been building this wall for at least a 100 years, trillions of dollars spent on the Wall, the Wall. Sounds like Fantasy Border to me.

      Reply
  6. J S

    When you put criminals in charge and keep rewarding their behavior. When you refuse to offer any assistance and refuse any accountability you get everything and more you deserve and you you also force those of us who aren’t guilty who do try to make a positive difference burden and often soley carry your punishment

    Reply
  7. Mary

    So sad.

    Reply
  8. Scooterville

    Alex Stein doing legitimate work instead of partaking in his lame e-bro p!ss!ng war skirmishes with Portnoy.

    Some of the more “reputable” area commentators like to trash Alex every chance they get as they push experimental big pharma products, the reckless sugar coating of “gender affirming care” and the legitimization of the corrupt swindling BLM organization onto their own audiences.

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      Are you talking about the PROUD BOYS?

      Reply
  9. sue r.

    In your ongoing reporting of crime in the area, you have mentioned several shootings. But I notice that the murder victims graphic has not been updated since January 9. How often do you update this? I would think you could update at least twice a month. Since you made a big deal about putting the information up in the first place.

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      Watch the local news channels, the broadcast every day.

      Reply
  10. SHH

    I just spent a good 20 minutes typing out a heartfelt comment trying to remind all of you that these are people.. many of whom are deeply hurt or caught in an inescapable situation just trying to survive… I wanted all of you to remember what empathy means.. and to remember the golden rule we learned growing up.. for those who follow Christ to do so in their actions as well as their words..
    and to remember Matthew 25:31-46.
    To try showing compassion and understanding;
    Try giving love to those who only know what it is to be given hate and treated like they were nothing;
    Try sharing that hope you seem to have in such great abundance with the countless many who have lost theirs and are trapped, unsure where to go or what to do.. try following what Christ taught rather than clinging to the title of a religion simply for the sake of appearances. Try helping your fellow man. You know? Try being a good person not for yourself or your own image but for the people who need a good person… someone to come along and sit next to them and say “hey, you ok? What going on with you?” And then just listen.

    Reply
  11. Steve

    Y’all know the Police are too busy guarding Perverts Story Time gatherings than to deal with criminal activities

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      They are trying to hire and retain the officers they have. Volunteer and you can watch the perverts, since you know so much about perverts. Join the Dallas Citizens Academy and when you graduate, do the Ride Along.

      It’s an eye opener, one you want forget, ever.

      Reply
  12. Roby

    Our inept or maybe corrupted city hall has allowed the utilities bills to go so high that many citizens have to become robbers, drug dealers or prostitutes to support a family. We need a Mussolini who protected the citizens and got rid of crime and the Sicilian mafia. .

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      Roby a few week ago, Abbott blamed Oncor and TXU for charging them for overcharging the citizens. Do your research the railroad commissioner has a lot to do with this. I guess you think he deals with trains, pitiful!

      Reply
    • John Gault

      Mussolini did not get rid of the mafia. He did create a mafia of his own however. Fascism is a form of government that favors one race and extorts from all others. I do believe he did make the trains run on time.

      Reply
  13. Clay David

    I dont agree with how these people are acting or treating their city. I specially find it irritating that they have the audacity to make that store owners life harder when its already hard enough…The biggest problem though is that when you start taking peoples constitutional rights away you get a whole lot more issues that arise. In my opinion. How to start a revolutionary war – Take away constitutional rights.Wether we believe so not, its coming…. My advise, Get ready….

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      They would have made store’s easy, had they voted. Blame the people who complain but want VOTE. Get some Cheap Whining and get some Government Cheese.

      Reply
    • Janet

      “Take away constitutional rights”? Some minorities would argue the rights you fear are being taken away,THEY have been trying to attain SINCE the Revolutionary War. I submit what you are afraid of being taken away are is the mistaken belief that CONSERVATIVES should be the ones who determine what rights are acceptable and which ones not. The Constitution does not give one party or ideology a “right” to power, or force others to be like, look like, or agree with their views.

      Reply
  14. John Gault

    My recommendation, do the exact opposite of what LA, San Francisco, Seattle, Portland, Chicago, NYC, Austin and other Democratically controlled cities are doing. And that would be enforcing the laws already on the books. Housing first is not the answer. Make nonprofit homelessness organizations account for every penny they get, put a cap on the salaries of CEO’s of these orgs so they don’t pay themselves hundreds of thousands of dollars a year and give what’s left over to their friends and relatives.

    Reply
    • Anna Williams

      Good luck with that solution, will never happen. That’s a pipe dream, good luck, “Dreamer”.

      Reply
  15. Michael Stapell

    My address to Dallas City Council
    Let’s start out with the premise that what we are doing now is not working. We have undesirable looking homeless camps all over this city. The city will clean up a camp only to have those inhabitants return again and again. The guy under Central Expressway at Forest is forced to move again and again, He is advised to take his things and leave or lose them. While living under Central Expressway he has no access to bathrooms; he has no access to showers or laundry facilities; and he may or maybe not get someone to come by and offer assistance of some kind. When he asks The Dept of Homeless Solutions where can I go? They don’t have an answer, for these are the most difficult cases! If he wants to retain his possessions or a pet, the shelters won’t work for him. If he leaves that intersection, he is subject to losing all his worldly possessions through theft or the city cleaning things up. In short he is not being served as a citizen of Dallas.
    The remedy to unsightly homeless camps is homeless camps that are designated, and serviced by the city of Dallas. We need 14 of them one for each council member district. A city sanctioned camp will have hot and cold running water; electricity and internet access. They need to have a community center where the homeless can receive services and counseling to be pointed in the direction of mental illness treatment and drug rehabilitation. A community center that has kitchen facilities, full bathroom facilities with showers, and laundry facilities.  These camps should have sanitation services every week just like I get in the back of my house.
    Once these city designated camps are set up, then it will be easier to move camps from underneath bridges and highway right of ways. Outreach will be easier with 14 locations instead of 300. Real assistance can take place and trust can be built in a community setting.
    Homeward Bound runs a diversion center that points clients in the right direction for services; the only problem is that like many city services it’s not scaled to meet demand. With 14 City of Dallas sanctioned homeless camps we can also have 14 more diversion centers bringing us close to meeting that need. 
    My vision is for this to be temporary, with facilities that are all portable as this is an experiment that’s totally unproven. If it fails to meet community acceptance, it can all be taken down quickly and easily. By utilizing shipping containers as visual barriers and storage facilities, and using portable buildings with all utilities above ground these camps can be stood up quickly with less red tape. The goal here is to serve those not being served, the difficult cases that are more entrenched that obviously need more help. Think of being able to help the most individuals just by having them present. Social services wouldn’t need to go looking for them. 
    Those living in a city sanctioned homeless camp will feel more secure knowing they won’t be forced to move and won’t be losing their only possessions. They will have access to services that they would otherwise have to go find. The city will be able to institute a no tolerance policy regarding renegade camps since they will now have some place to go. We will no longer see our bridges and underpasses filled with tents, sleeping bags; shopping carts and filth. Win Win Win

    Reply

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