New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani ran on a platform to streamline the process of opening and running a business in the Big Apple. That was an admission that government red tape and regulations were an undue burden on businesses. But Mamdani is a Democratic Socialist, which means the red tape and regulations are the point. How else can they confiscate wealth without a bureaucrat keeping track of everything you do?
It turns out you're foolish if you try to do things by the book, especially in a place like NYC, where the law is enforced at the political whims of the District Attorney and politicians running the show. That's why a bunch of open-air black markets are popping up, where people illegally sell prescription drugs out on the street with little fear of consequences.
A half-mile section of Washington Heights has been transformed into an open-air prescription drug bazaar, with brazen vendors illegally peddling painkillers, erectile dysfunction pills, and an array of other meds, The Post has learned. https://t.co/FmnagpVcVu pic.twitter.com/QEsUuphMmZ
— New York Post (@nypost) July 19, 2026
Here's more:
A half-mile section of Washington Heights has been transformed into an open-air prescription drug bazaar, with brazen vendors illegally peddling painkillers, erectile dysfunction pills, and an array of other meds, The Post has learned.
The sprawling street pharmacy stretches across 10 square blocks, in and around West 179th to West 183rd streets and St. Nicholas Avenue with at least 20 vendors showcasing their wares in loose blister packs, boxes, and bottles strewn across dingy folding tables.
“Is it for an adult? You can take up to three a day until they’re all gone,” barked a vendor selling blister packs of the antibiotic amoxicillin for $5 a sheet.
“It’s for phlegm, for the throat. Or one in the morning and one at night,” she advised, standing next to a busy bus stop on West 181st Street and St. Nicholas.
A shopper who saw the pills chimed in with approval. “Those are really good! They’re powerful stuff. When there’s an infection, it cures it. When I give it to my grandson, I give him three a day!”
Amoxicillin was among the alarming cornucopia of pills available this week, including: erectile dysfunction meds Viagra and Cialis; Cataclofen Plus, for pain and inflammation; and antibiotic Ampicillin.
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This is dangerous, of course. Those medications can interact with others, and taking antibiotics for every illness can contribute to antibiotic resistance, which could pose a serious problem.
The warmth of collectivism always includes criminality and addiction.
— Brian Doherty (@BDOH) July 19, 2026
Always.
For all of the low IQ but high self-confidence New Yorkers, here’s your free healthcare.
— J.W. de Nashville (@C130GuyBNA) July 20, 2026
Problem solved.
The third-worlding of America.
— Geiger Capital (@Geiger_Capital) July 19, 2026
Legitimate businesses and restaurants have to spend money on compliance, health inspections, permits, taxes, insurance, legal wages, etc.
Meanwhile, illegal immigrants set up shop anywhere they want. No inspections. No regulations. Cash only.… https://t.co/9J3D05IbMq
And Democrats will look at this and call it 'equity.'
Immigrants operate within an entirely separate legal structure than you. https://t.co/FN9DKRcNvg
— bumbadum (@bumbadum14) July 20, 2026
There's a two-tiered justice and economic system in America, it seems.
People are commenting on this saying "see? Communism always fails".
— Spencer Pratt (@spencerpratt) July 20, 2026
Nope. Communism always succeeds...in destroying your civilized society.
People just don't understand what the purpose of communism really is. https://t.co/1O8gSjEtRT
Its purpose is to destroy everything it touches, while enriching the party elites and impoverishing the rest of us.
all this stuff is stolen
— Matt Bramanti (@mattbramanti) July 19, 2026
the policy of the City of New York is that you may steal and sell stolen goods https://t.co/GxN5xyvwzv
The likelihood of this being stolen is very high.
Will Mamdani crack down on this? Probably not. He'll turn a blind eye and tolerate it, and when someone gets hurt or killed, he'll blame Republicans and demand socialized medicine.
Editor’s Note: New York City is now facing the consequences of Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s socialist takeover.
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