CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Police raided a convenience store on Charleston’s East End Tuesday in connection with a drug investigation and the store was later closed after the city gained a preliminary injunction.
The raid occurred Tuesday afternoon at the Par Mar store (the former Shop-n-Go) at the corner of Washington Street East and Ruffner Avenue. Officers were armed with two search warrants and 20 arrest warrants.
Police made six arrests. All were arraigned Tuesday evening.
Charleston Police Chief of Detectives Lt. Tony Hazelett said police an investigation several weeks ago after receive a complaint from a resident living near the store that drug activity was taking place there.
No long after the raid Tuesday, the city appeared before Kanawha County Circuit Judge Maryclaire Akers seeking the store be declared a public nuisance and be closed.
The city claims there have been 350 calls for emergency services at the site since the first of the year. There have been 97 arrests there.
Charleston police were at that same site earlier this year investigating a violent crime. A man was critically injured after being shot twice in the store parking lot back on May 7.
Akers did grant a preliminary injunction. She has scheduled a hearing for Dec. 7 for a possible permanent injunction.
Par Mar had no comment.