Atlanta Daily World

Rackets Still Hold Spotlight In New York

NEW YORK - (AN) - Numbers and dope still hold the spotlight in Harlem. If you are in the know, you can (1) buy all the dope you want, (2) play all the numbers you want.

Yet police raids and arrests against both vices are causing a little caution by the purveyors of these two elements of sin and chance. The first was a sweeping raid by officers from Chief Inspector Nidds' staff. Sixteen persons were picked up, but 11 were released.

The policy slips. One, a woman, Lena Roberts, caused the officers to state that nowadays more than ever, women are being used in the policy business. When one is arrested, she must be searched at the police station by a police matron. That entails a wait until the matron arrives. Meanwhile, the prisoner has an unlimited time at her disposal to get rid of evidence.

Chief Inspector Nidds has told newspapers that the Riverton Apartments area is a hot bed of policy playing. He also said that some 20 policemen, two sergeants and a police lieutenant live in the Riverton.

"We'll knock off anybody, no matter who they are," the inspector said, "even if they are cops."

His number of police living in the Riverton was wrong by about 40. Close to 60 policemen and their families live in the development.

Charges of open playing of numbers all over Harlem are again beginning to be heard. Payoffs and doublecrosses are mentioned in the same breath.

Meanwhile, dope users and sellers also are taking a beating with the narcotics squads hauling them in right and left. The drive against dope sellers died down slightly, but the squad still makes arrests. Last week, a tip came to the West 123rd street station that led to what police call the smashing of a $500,000 dope ring in Harlem.

Five men and a woman were arrested in West 117th street, and a cache of heroin with a retail value of almost $80,000 was seized. Five of the eight arrested were released, but three were held on charges of conspiracy and possession of narcotics.