COLUMBUS, Ohio — Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein on Wednesday announced that two drug houses on the city’s west side have shut down.
The houses at 4451 Josephine Ave. in the Hilltop neighborhood and at 112 South Cypress Ave. in the Franklinton area were boarded up after the Franklin County Municipal Court’s Environmental Division executed orders to shut them down.
“The City continues to prioritize cracking down on problem properties where criminals push deadly drugs into our streets and attract chaos and violence,” said Klein. “No parent, child or resident should have to worry about which houses or neighborhood blocks to avoid as they wait for the bus, send their kids to school, or go about their day. Our west side neighborhoods are stronger with these dangerous properties contained and those who threaten public safety held accountable.”
Klein says the Columbus Division of Police responded to multiple domestic disturbances at the Josephine Avenue address in 2022. In November, police received a call that the tenant inside the property turned it into a drug house.
Additionally, police received calls regarding drug deals, shots being fired In the area, a stolen vehicle, suspected narcotics use and an overdose.
Columbus police beware aware of activity at the Franklinton property in March when a neighbor reported suspicious behavior at the house.
In April, Klein says police received a complaint that someone entered the house to purchase drugs, but the resident pulled a gun on him and forced him to leave.
In May, police made several controlled purchases of crack cocaine and fentanyl on the property. Officers executed a search warrant later that month and recovered crack cocaine, cocaine, two semi-automatic handguns, various magazines and ammunition and stolen property.
Police have also responded to multiple reports of burglaries and other disturbances at the property.