A building raided this week by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a “robbery burglary” police mission team and the city’s Office of Inspector General is being demolished.
Law enforcement officials obtained a search warrant as part of an investigation into fraud, illegal betting and drug sales at 6948 N. Western Ave., in the North Side neighborhood of West Ridge, after numerous community complaints, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
A man arrested inside told authorities he was the “host” and that he “loads and unloads money from the gambling machines in the premises,” according to the Sun-Times, which cited a police report. He faces possible gambling charges. A woman was arrested for drug possession unrelated to the search warrant.
The Chicago Department of Buildings said it was “determined that the building was severely structurally compromised and an imminent hazard.”
The property, which was issued 15 citations by the Buildings Department after the raid, had been home to a barbecue restaurant several years ago. It had recently become known as a social club and neighbors frequently complained about the site, especially after a nearby shooting earlier this year. City records show a person was shot on the block on Jan. 29, the Sun-Times reported.
The raid was conducted “due to numerous citizen complaints of illegal activity over the past several months”, Ald. Debra Silverstein told the Sun-Times. The building is in the 50th Ward, which she represents.
Ald. Maria Hadden, who represents the neighboring 49th Ward, said she was told federal officials and the inspector general’s office were involved with the raid because they suspected methamphetamine was being sold. She told the Sun-Times identity theft and prostitution may have also been involved.
“If what they suspected was happening there was happening, then I’m glad that Chicago police were able to partner with those federal partners and get it shut down,” she said.
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[Chicago Sun-Timesl] — Harrison Connery