UPTOWN — All 27 people arrested near Truman College in a drug bust last week will be charged with felonies stemming from the sale of marijuana, crack cocaine and heroin, police said.
There had been a lot of drug sales, including "a little bit of heroin," around the college at 1145 W. Wilson Ave. before the arrests, which included members of three different gangs, police told residents at the Beat 1913 CAPS meeting Tuesday.
Drug dealing "has been an issue for a while now" and police began the investigation about a month ago using undercover officers to buy drugs and working with the State's Attorney's office to pursue felony charges, said Capt. Paul Kane, who joined the Town Hall District about four weeks ago.
The bust was the largest in Uptown in recent years, according to Ald. James Cappleman (46th).
"This particular [area], I've been tracking for the last 7-8 years, is around the 98th or 99th percentile for drug abuse arrests," Cappleman said at a news conference after the arrests. "We've known there have been some issues ... but in the past two years we've seen an increase in it."
Seven people are still wanted after the bust, including those believed to be responsible for shootings, street robberies and burglaries, police said.
Those arrested included Tremaine Wilson and Timothy Polen, who were both charged with aggravated battery of a police officer, police said.
Officers also had "quite the conversation" with the owners of Snacks 4 Less, which sits across from the school at 1144 W. Wilson Ave., about drug sales around the convenience store, Kane said.
At 10 a.m. July 19, the City of Chicago's Office of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection will hold a public nuisance hearing for the convenience store in Room 805 at City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle St.
Last month, police conducted one of their largest efforts to curb drug sales and violence, arresting 140 people, including 95 "documented gang members."
"We have been taking a number of steps this summer to demonstrate that violence this summer will not be tolerated, and we will continue this important work to ensure that every resident enjoys the same sense of safety," police Supt. Eddie Johnson said.
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