Little Saigon Market
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January 1, 2023
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Street Report
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Seattle’s Little Saigon Becomes Site of Black Market Goods

Jonathan Choe
January 1, 2023
Street Report
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Categories
Street Report

Happy New Year

It’s only fitting in 2023, I’m filing first report in Seattle’s Little Saigon at 1am. Black market of stolen goods/drug den thriving. No police. Watch oblivious family walk through madness. Maybe @cmkshama will show up this year.

Few Days Before Christmas 2022

Even in freezing cold, folks boosting and looking for last minute #Christmas gifts in #Chinatown-ID and 3rd Ave in Downtown #Seattle. Fentanyl and meth being smoked. Streets are a mess. Will 2023 be any different?

Even After Recent Food Stamp Bust

Dudes are still out here hustling in Little Saigon.

Worst Kept Secret

For months I have been tracking illegal sales and trade of EBT(food stamp)cards in #Seattle‘s Little Saigon. Little did I know, @SeattlePD was also investigating. They just made a HUGE BUST.

Who’s Buying?

During investigation into Little Saigon’s black market, I couldn’t believe stuff being sold. From EBT cards to ribs, folks buying including little Vietnamese grandmas looking for deals. Gotta cut off demand.

Boosted

Some guys wanted me to show their faces, others wanted to be anonymous. But they all admitted to stealing items and bringing it to #Seattle‘s Little Saigon for a quick flip. Dude showed me how he removes security tags from these @Nike‘s.

Free for All

Even with more law enforcement presence, the black market comes and goes in waves. Paper towels, meat, cosmetics, razors, LEGO’s, POKEMON cards, sneakers, lux hand bags, infant formula are hot. Guarantee it’s there right now.

Devastating Year for Small Biz

Multiple businesses left #Chinatown-ID/Little Saigon in 2022 due to crime, homeless, and drug crisis. When will this area get support from leaders?

Adding to This Sad Thread

Just in case ya’ll didn’t know, this Bartell Drugs in #Seattle‘s #Chinatown-ID was one of the anchor stores in the area that also closed in September, partly due to crime, theft, and homeless crisis in neighborhood.

Mass Exodus From Chinatown

@nwasianweekly one of few remaining local papers covering the on going challenges in the #Chinatown International District.

The mass exodus from Chinatown: Businesses finally break their silence

Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty
Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy. Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entrepreneurship to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago. As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.