COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein announced Tuesday that the city obtained an emergency court order to shut down a drug house in the Hilltop neighborhood.
The Columbus Division of Police executed an order to board up the property located at 2226 Amherst Ave. on Monday.
“Our Zone Team is working alongside CPD to build strong cases to shut down drug houses that threaten public health and safety,” Klein said. “By taking this drug house out of play, we’re ensuring safety, promoting accountability and restoring opportunity for residents, businesses and the entire Hilltop community.”
According to court documents, police first received an anonymous tip of narcotics at the residence in February 2019.
In March, police received a report of an accidental overdose at the property and another complaint about narcotics.
Klein said police then made multiple controlled purchases of crack cocaine and later executed a search warrant of the residence.
That month, the property owners were notified of their duty to stop any nuisance activity at the premises.
Officers were dispatched to the property again on April 6, 2019 on the report of a burglary.
In October 2020, police were notified by neighbors of narcotics activity had begun again.
Officers watched the residence and observed a vehicle associated with a known drug trafficker and member of a local street gang.
Police responded to a number of calls for service between April and November 2021, including reports of a fight, drug activity and multiple disturbances.
In November and December 2021, officers made more purchases of drugs.
Police executed a search warrant and found 36.7 grams of crack cocaine along with money from an earlier covert purchase and other drug paraphernalia.
This year, officers made a controlled purchase of methamphetamine at the residence.
Klein said this is the fourth Hilltop-area drug house Columbus has shut down in 2022.
The city shut down drugs houses on Wheatland Avenue and Columbian Avenue in February and on Ogden Avenue in March.