San Francisco city attorney cracks down on drug and gambling dens

The City Attorney of San Francisco, David Chiu, has issued a statement as they say they are cracking down on gambling and drug dens that allegedly front as convenience stores.

This update also comes as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors is looking to expand the nighttime safety ordinance that prohibits certain retail stores in high-traffic, ‘drug market areas’ from operating late at night.

In the last year and a half, the City Attorney’s Office has sued or shut down nine stores that allegedly violated the nighttime safety ordinance or engaged in other illegal activity. “These convenience stores were magnets for drug activity, and, in some cases, the stores were selling illegal drugs themselves,” said City Attorney Chiu in his newly-released statement.

“Most businesses contribute positively to our neighborhoods, but a handful of late-night retail establishments, like the ones we have shut down, attract significant criminal activity.

“The nighttime safety ordinance has been helpful in putting these stores on our radar and giving us additional tools to shut down problematic businesses. SFPD has been an incredible partner in this work to eradicate drug activity and protect our communities.”

He continued to say they are looking forward to working with the community and utilizing the nighttime safety ordinance further if the Board of Supervisors pass legislation to extend and expand it.

Nine stores shut down in San Francisco, statement says

The nighttime safety ordinance was originally passed in July 2024 and was developed in partnership with Tenderloin neighbors as part of a strategy to disrupt open-air drug markets.

Once passed, a two-year pilot program began, prohibiting certain retail stores in areas of the Tenderloin from operating between 12:00AM and 5:00AM. Generally speaking, the ordinance applies to convenience stores and corner stores, rather than restaurants, bars, or event halls.

The SFPD Chief Derrick Lew has also weighed in on the situation too: “The San Francisco Police Department is committed to keeping our streets clean and safe, and that includes cracking down on businesses violating the Nighttime Safety Ordinance or engaging in other illegal activity.”

“We will continue to be relentless in our enforcement against illegal drug markets in every way imaginable. Thank you to City Attorney David Chiu and our other city partners in this crucial work.”

Featured Image: Via the City Attorney of San Francisco

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