Criminal activity has returned to Roosevelt Avenue in Queens, with sex workers openly soliciting clients along the busy strip despite a 90-day police operation aimed at cleaning up the area.
The notorious corridor, which falls within districts represented by Democratic Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Grace Meng, once again features women offering sex for money alongside vendors selling suspected stolen and counterfeit goods.
Local residents describe conditions resembling a third-world market, with some dubbing the area the “Avenue of the Sweethearts” due to its reputation for prostitution.
Ramses Frias, a local activist and Republican City Council candidate, reported that criminal elements have returned to previous levels.
“All the criminal activity has reverted to the way it was last year,” Frias stated.
“Our residents feel like prisoners in their own homes while criminals walk freely, preying on helpless victims.”
Gang activity appears to be present in the area, with Frias noting that locations bear graffiti tags associated with the 18th Street gang and Tren de Aragua.
During a recent visit to Roosevelt Avenue, Fox News Digital observed approximately 30 women on a single block appearing to offer sexual services to passersby on a Friday evening, even as families with children walked nearby.
The women were actively approaching potential clients despite visible police presence in the area.
The majority of suspected sex workers operate on Meng’s side of the street, while most vendors concentrate on Ocasio-Cortez’s side, with the district boundary running through the center of Roosevelt Avenue.
Illegal vending remains widespread, with sidewalks crowded with sellers hawking counterfeit Apple products, tools and other merchandise.
Food vendors operate stalls under subway underpasses, storing beverages in large unmarked containers without apparent health safety compliance.
A return visit to the neighborhood confirmed the persistence of both prostitution and illegal vending activities.
Additional violations observed included women providing eyebrow threading services on sidewalks and men selling footwear from vehicles, per Fox.
Operation Restore Roosevelt, a 90-day enhanced police presence that began in October, deployed more than 200 additional officers to the area.
NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry reported the operation achieved a 29 percent reduction in overall crime.
Specific crime categories showed significant decreases, with robberies down 23 percent, felony assaults reduced by 33 percent, burglaries falling 47 percent and grand larceny declining 30 percent.
Despite these improvements, Daughtry acknowledged substantial work remains.
Police filed 30 court cases and raided 15 brothels during the operation period.
Recent enforcement actions included shutting down a brothel operating above a corner store near two schools in Ocasio-Cortez’s district.
The facility, nicknamed the “bodega brothel” by residents, contained five cramped rooms separated by wooden panels and shower curtains.
Two additional brothels were raided on Meng’s side of Roosevelt Avenue, with Frias reporting that crowds gathered to witness the arrests.
Suspected clients were handcuffed while alleged sex workers had their faces covered with shower curtains during the operation.
Frias indicated that three to four other brothels continue operating on the same block, contributing to residents’ reluctance to walk in their own neighborhood.
The local activist criticized Ocasio-Cortez specifically for not utilizing her substantial social media following to address the situation.
“Our laws need to become stricter, and it’s time to elect representatives who have the best interests of the community and its safety as a priority,” Frias stated.
Daughtry echoed calls for greater involvement from both representatives, noting their absence from collaborative efforts.
“Never seen her,” Daughtry said regarding Ocasio-Cortez.
“She’s never reached out to us. We would really love her assistance to help us.”
The police official requested that Ocasio-Cortez use her platform to secure funding or connect women to support services, emphasizing the decades-long nature of prostitution issues in the area.
