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Residents, businesses concerned over ongoing alleged prostitution in Barrio Logan

Concerns come after several crackdown efforts by San Diego Police to address the issue.

SAN DIEGO — There are growing concerns over alleged rampant prostitution taking place in Barrio Logan near San Diego's Naval Base.

Despite several crackdown efforts by San Diego Police and the City, people who live and work in the area said the problem is getting worse.

“It just feels like a lot of our frustrations falls on deaf ears," said one San Diegan.

Video and pictures taken by a CBS 8 viewer show several women walking up and down Dalbergia Street in the middle of the day. In one picture you can see kids walking home from school in the background.

“It just seems like they’re very brazen and they’re not worried about law enforcement," said the viewer, who doesn’t want to be identified and works for a nearby company. "It’s just frustrating like I said, our business is just down the street, so we deal with a lot of the soliciting and there’s also a lot of homeless people."

He says on Tuesday afternoon alone, he counted several women on the streets.

“At one point I counted 10 separate women on the same block, on either side of the street all out there, all out there… very minimal clothing, some of them not wearing pants, some of them flashing their tops at people driving by. It’s just sad cause there is a school and neighborhood a block or two away. Kids shouldn’t see that on their way home from school," he said. 

What these women are doing is not technically illegal. In July of 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 357, which repeals a statute that prohibits loitering with the intent to engage in prostitution.

Last month, multiple law enforcement agencies conducted a major sex trafficking operation in San Diego and National City that led to 46 arrests. 

The operation involved some law enforcement officers working undercover to pose as people offering sex for sale, then arresting sex buyers.

However, some say they would like to see police have more of a presence in the area to divert what’s happening.

“If you’re confident enough to be out at noon on a Tuesday for more than an hour and a half on the street, you’re not worried about law enforcement which tells me that they’re not there," said the San Diego County resident.

CBS 8 reached out to the City of San Diego and police about the concerns from residents. They acknowledged that this is an issue they are actively working to resolve.

 WATCH RELATED: City of San Diego shuts down massage parlor, says prostitution there was rampant

    

 

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