Two civil lawsuits were filed today on behalf of the City of San Francisco against two Tenderloin businesses that are considered "host businesses" for drug sales and the fencing of stolen property. The businesses are Barah's Market at the corner of Leavenworth and Turk, and Razan Deli & Grocery nearby at 391 Ellis Street. City Attorney Dennis Herrera says these lawsuits were needed to help kids and seniors and to "create an environment where people can thrive and be the best we can be."
Both businesses are likely to get shut down as a result, and part of the penalty in the lawsuit is that they are forcibly closed down for one year.
The businesses were part of a lengthy undercover investigation by police, and police chief Greg Shur said in a press conference that "99 percent of the businesses [in the neighborhood] refused and/or threatened to call police" when they were propositioned to participate in illegal activity. But there were just these two bad apples, apparently.
[ABC 7]