Chinatown merchants are angry and frustrated. They say drug dealers are taking control of the area and not enough is being done about it. They met with Honolulu Police Thursday to come up with a solution.
The meeting was a chance for Chinatown business owners to vent. But coming up with the solution to get rid of the drug deals and theft in the area was elusive.
"You’re frustrated, everyone understands that, from every row down here we understand everyone’s frustrated. But the thing is, ‘what are we gonna do about it’?" asked Cpl. Richard Fikani, from the Honolulu Police Department.
Nobody is more frustrated than Otto, owner of Otto Cake. He’s so flustered he’s painted a big sign on his front window that reads, ‘HELP.’
"You can get upset, I understand that," Fikani said to Otto. "No, I’m not upset, I’m in shock, I’m in shock," Otto replied.
"Okay, time out," said Fikani. "Time out for what? Are they gonna do anything?" asked Otto, in response.
Otto says he was beaten up by a drug dealer in front of his store. When the police came, he says the dealer and his friends then told officers that Otto started it so police were about to arrest him.
"I did not touch him, he punched me twice, strangled me – I had to actually fake that I was losing consciousness so that he would let go and he punched me in the face," Otto said.
He says the dealer decided to drop the charges but Otto still filed his complaint, but the drug dealer remains on the loose.
"He’s still down here everyday taunting me, saying I can do whatever I want to, the cops aren’t gonna do anything to me."
The merchants say they are aware that police are doing the best they can and that drug dealers and thieves are finding ways to get around the law. They’re asking for more police presence, which they were told will happen. But they were also told that they need to keep reporting anything suspicious so police can get there in time.
See the original article at: KHON2 Local News
