Police are looking for two fugitives and have made 16 arrests from a long-term investigation into the now-closed Miami Shores Motel, which authorities have referred to as a "storefront for narcotics."
In late 2016, police say the Miami Shores Motel on Biscayne Boulevard became a hotspot for crime.
"It was becoming a very problematic spot with a lot of drug activity," Chief Kevin Lystad of the Miami Shores Police Department said in a news conference Monday.
The business closed as it was the focus of a long-term joint investigation between Miami Shores police and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.
"When we started to look at it, we saw a very well-organized operation trafficking and dealing in narcotics," Lystad said. "It almost became a storefront for narcotics as opposed to a motel."
Back in February of 2017, the motel was also the site of a murder after a police say a guest killed another person inside a room.
"It was identified as a blight on the community, and we ascertained that it was certainly a quality of life issue based on the fact that there were certain violent activities occurring as a nexus with the hotel," said Christopher A. Robinson of the ATF Miami Division.
The place has an order for demolition. Authorities are looking for Henry Box Jr. and Bryan J. King, who along with the 16 arrested, face state and federal charges.
