Q: Rental property next door is being used for drug trafficking and I want the owner to evict criminal tenants
My next-door neighbor was arrested for drug trafficking and the residence has been under surveillance for the past 6 months. Last week, several police cars, the SWAT team, and detectives showed up with a search warrant. They confiscated evidence and arrested him. He is being held without bail and has a trial date of February 9th. For whatever reason, they did not arrest his wife and she continues to live there.
My question is two-fold:
1. Are police required to notify the owner of the property after an incident like this? (It's unclear whether or not the owner was notified).
2. Is the owner obligated to evict tenants for illegal activities conducted on the premises? And, what rights do I have as a neighbor if the owner refuses to evict them?
A: While the owner may not be required to evict the tenants, the landlord could be sued for maintaining a nuisance. Additionally, if the landlord continues to rent to the criminals, the landlord could face criminal prosecution.
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