Dozens of drug dealers arrested in overnight raid at SF's Jefferson Square Park, police say

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Dozens of suspected drug dealers were arrested in an overnight raid at Jefferson Square Park in San Francisco.

Residents say the area had been a haven for drug dealers and users in the past few months because of efforts to clean up other parts of the city.

This was a huge effort with police officers, deputies, park rangers and other agencies.

Neighbors say they are so relieved the city finally did something about the park--an area they say has become a hotbed of drug dealing and drug use.

Sebastian Luke--who didn't want to be on camera--says neighbors have been complaining for months. They're frustrated and fed up with the drug dealers and users at Jefferson Square Park.

MORE: SF's drug crackdown in target areas causing problem to spill into other neighborhoods

"The neighbors complain about the drug use, the feces, the needles," Luke said.

Luke said he was shocked when authorities moved in quietly Wednesday night.

"I saw one big bus. I saw about 100 agents, DEA, and undercover cops, sheriff's deputies, SFPD," he said.

Luke captured pictures of the large-scale operation to crack down on all the illegal drug activity at the park.

"Police were on bicycle. They went through the park. They went through the bushes. They call the drug dealer that hid in the bushes, 'Come out, come out. You are under arrest,'" Luke said.

MORE: With new powers, SF Mayor Daniel Lurie announces 1st project to address fentanyl crisis

San Francisco Police Department also shared video of the arrest being made. Police Chief Bill Scott said officers arrested 84 people and confiscated more than a pound of drugs, including fentanyl.

"We had a multitude of people out there, all with the same single purpose. And that is to make these communities safer and to stop this Whac-O-Mole thing we are seeing with drug dealers and users go from one community to the next," Scott said.

City leaders and residents alike say they've seen drug dealing and illegal activity move from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Jefferson Square Park is in San Francisco supervisor Bilal Mahmood's district.

"There was a mix of selling drugs, illegal street vending, as well as people suffering from addiction. So, it's definitely worse than it has been in a long time," Mahmood said.

MORE: California bill aims to crack down on illegal street vending in San Francisco

Mahmood applauds the crackdown and said with the new mayoral administration, there's a focus on new strategies to curb drug markets.

"I think it sends a message that this will not be tolerated in our city any longer. Everyone is working seriously to address this crisis,' Mahmood said.

"I'm very relieved action was taken. People were arrested. We need to send a message that you cannot infiltrate this neighborhood, do drugs and trash our neighborhood," Luke said.

Thursday afternoon, neighbors told ABC7 News that some drug users started returning to Jefferson Square Park.

Mahmood wants city leaders to consider a new "drug market intervention strategy." He believes that paying for 24-7 staffing to keep a close eye on some of our neighborhoods will prevent illegal drug activity from coming back.