# I think there's a drug dealer in my apartment building **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 9, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976 "2015-10-09T00:13:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/1 "2015-10-09T00:13:58Z")
I’m sheltered enough to have never wondered this before. There are 11 units; one unit has been converted into a laundry room. I like to sit out on my porch and read, and my place faces the street. The parking lot, which does not have reserved spots, is on the other side of the building. Anyway, I often see vehicles parked on the street, and while one person waits, someone else will get out, enter my building, and leave a few minutes later. I have a pretty good idea which unit it is, and I’m especially concerned because there’s a small child in this apartment. It’s a very safe complex in a middle-class neighborhood, and this is very concerning to me. There are two other families with small children and at least two apartments occupied by college students, and one unit that’s occupied by a woman who is a local public figure (describing her further could identify her and give away my location). Who should I contact first - the rental office or the police? ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/2 "2015-10-09T00:33:28Z")
You don’t have any actual knowledge of illegal activity, and you’re probably not in any significant danger. I would advise you to contact no one. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/3 "2015-10-09T00:35:53Z")
> [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > You don’t have any actual knowledge of illegal activity, and you’re probably not in any significant danger. I would advise you to contact no one. I was leaning towards this option myself, and posted the above options in case other people said I should. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/4 "2015-10-09T00:40:26Z")
There can be collateral damage when a drug deal goes bad. Or when a drug dealer makes a mistaken assumption — [6 Awful Things I Learned Surviving A Double Homicide | Cracked.com](http://www.cracked.com/personal-experiences-1742-6-awful-things-i-learned-surviving-double-homicide.html) It’s not like “mind your own business” will always protect you. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/5 "2015-10-09T00:47:31Z")
Relax. Maybe she’s just a prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/6 "2015-10-09T01:03:54Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Relax. Maybe she’s just a prostitute. These would be world-record quickies. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/7 "2015-10-09T01:57:01Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > These would be world-record quickies. LOL! I was thinking that too ! The OP could call the police tip line but if their neighbor is a drug dealer they might have an idea you made the call . I would call if I thought there was drug dealer living next to me. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/8 "2015-10-09T03:12:58Z")
When my wife and I were first married, we lived briefly in an apartment where there was significant foot traffic in and out from the unit across the hall from us, morning til late night. We knew what was going on. But this wasn’t _The Wire_, and the neighbor wasn’t some high-level trafficker, so we never really felt threatened. And in college, I lived in a couple sketchy places where I know there was some dealing going on. Again, I never felt threatened, just mostly annoyed by the insane amount of people walking through. The guys I suspected never seemed to have any _real_ money (no fancy clothes or cars), so it was probably just a nickel and dime business. Chances are your neighbor is just some low-level dealer whose #1 priority is not having any drama fuck up his money flow. If you’re in a solid middle class location, I wouldn’t worry about violence. Although I suppose anything is possible. I do, however, sympathize with the annoying foot traffic. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/9 "2015-10-09T03:38:19Z")
I’ve never seen any of these people cause any trouble. I have lived here for 3 1/2 years, and also never previously noticed people quickly going in and out of the building like they do now. The buildings are not secured; you can just walk in at any time. And it’s not unlikely that I may be right about a drug dealer being in the building, and totally off the mark WRT who it is. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/10 "2015-10-09T04:13:58Z")
> [@WF\_Tomba](#): > > You don’t have any actual knowledge of illegal activity, and you’re probably not in any significant danger. I would advise you to contact no one. This^ ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/11 "2015-10-09T04:38:53Z")
> [@Ukulele\_Ike](#): > > Relax. Maybe she’s just a prostitute. > [@nearwildheaven](#): > > These would be world-record quickies. Maybe not. Do you live in Japan? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/12 "2015-10-09T04:58:22Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Maybe not. Do you live in Japan? I don’t get it, Japanese men ejaculate faster? ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/13 "2015-10-09T05:00:15Z")
Is there any way you can wander down the hall and nonchalantly be in the area just to see if the door you suspect is the one getting knocked on? That’s something I would do. Make a wrong turn with a laundry basket or something. I’m coming from the perspective of where I live, so maybe my tolerance for this activity is very low. I don’t find it acceptable behavior from a neighbor, and violence in the form of domestic or gang or whatever, to me, is inevitable. Just because they’re in a part of the building that’s not across the hall from me (which would absolutely bug the shit out of me with the foot traffic), doesn’t make it any more acceptable. Maybe I’m just an ass, but I would take video of the cars coming and going (discreetly, from my porch) and verify which unit was the problem. Then I’d go down to the station and chat with police about it. Maybe it’s something they’re interested in, maybe not. If they find it interesting, then I may also let the landlord know. I’m the sort who documents and gets involved, though. Not everyone is comfortable doing that. There was some gang activity in a nearby building a few years ago and I took pictures of their vehicles (as one sort of matched a recent drive-by a mile or so away), along with descriptions of the kids. I called the local police station and reported seven kids with tats on their faces making a ruckus in the alley and the building they were going in and out of and the vehicle in question. They had me email all of the photos to them and thanked me for the information. Don’t know if I did anything helpful, but that building was much quieter after that and I didn’t see the people around again. Sometimes all it takes is for the people in question to know someone’s paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/14 "2015-10-09T05:02:08Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I don’t get it… Hey, Grude… are you sleeping any better? ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/15 "2015-10-09T05:09:18Z")
> [@Robert163](#): > > Hey, Grude… are you sleeping any better? Not really, I just don’t get the Japan thing. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/16 "2015-10-09T05:19:49Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Not really, I just don’t get the Japan thing. Yeah… I think it is innuendo as well… I was awake for 30 or so hours… then slept almost 2 hours, now… wide awake Hey I made a [post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=18756683&postcount=14) on your thread about Venezuela… about Trinidad actually… ---
**Author:** ![yawuntz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a5b964/32.png) [@yawuntz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yawuntz)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/17 "2015-10-09T05:44:37Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > …vehicles parked on the street, and while one person waits, someone else will get out, enter my building, and leave a few minutes later. Yep, you got yourself a garden-variety entry-level drug salesman there. No finesse, minimal discretion. No worse than having mice or silverfish I guess. Which is to say you definitely don’t need them there, because there’s other problems that come with the scenario . It’s so damn obvious eh, when you come home and there’s some yokel sitting in a 70’s muscle car out front and looking at you like “what the fuck you lookin’ at?” They wear out the carpet, they push the wrong buttons on the intercom, they break into the cars in the lot, etc. You get a lot of people coming and going who have no investment in the place. At the very least it’s an ongoing annoyance. I’d run it by the cops, but not the landlord, because the cops tend not to out you as the tipster. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/18 "2015-10-09T05:48:25Z")
> [@grude](#): > > I don’t get it, Japanese men ejaculate faster? They are famous among Thai hookers for just that. In fact, among Thai hookers, Japanese men are commonly referred to as “Three 3s” – 3 inches, 3 minutes, 3000 baht ( US$84 dollars). Really. ---
**Author:** ![TheSpeculationElucidation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@TheSpeculationElucidation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheSpeculationElucidation)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/19 "2015-10-09T06:10:07Z")
You said you’re in a middle-class neighborhood and that you consider it very safe. The fact that someone of importance lives in the building makes me think it isn’t serious. Someone would have to be pretty stupid to deal drugs out of there. At the most, I’d say the college students that live there are probably selling pot or something. I wouldn’t pay it any mind. But if you think it’s a huge deal I’d approach the managements before approaching the police. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2015, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976/20 "2015-10-09T19:47:31Z")
It’s really obvious who that person is, because she drives a car with her title on it. She’s not there much, but when she is, the car is too, so everyone knows she lives in that building. A free apartment and car are part of the job. The first few times, I didn’t pay much attention and thought maybe someone was dropping off a friend after work, that kind of thing, but then I saw them coming back out within a matter of (it seems like) seconds, and after about the 50th times, I started thinking that something fishy was going on. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-think-theres-a-drug-dealer-in-my-apartment-building/733976.md?page=2)