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Authorities Begin Clearing Out 'Opioid Den' Under 836 Expressway

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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Homeless advocates with the help of Miami police officers cleared a so-called opioid den underneath the 836 Dolphin Expressway Friday.

"A lot of people decided to come with us. Many of them, in fact, did come off the streets," Ron Book said.

Book is the chairman of the Homeless Trust in Miami-Dade County. He said since the start of this month, about 40 people decided to leave Northwest 14 Street and seek treatment. But a few have also stopped getting help and returned to the streets.

"We are not going to put up with this. We are not going to tolerate it. We are going to close it down," Book said.

Book started his mission to clear areas like this along northwest 14th street started back in June. He originally thought it was just a homeless camp. But that changed once he stopped and visited.

"This is an opiod den. This is an open sex den," Book said.

Blocks away, underneath I-95, homeless advocates and Miami police officers also visited Northwest 11th Street near a park and a school Friday.

A sign was posted telling people they must leave by Thursday, October 25th. That's when the beds and dirty needles will be picked up.

Book said he has found areas like this to be more than just a place for people who are homeless.

"They are not homeless, they have places to live. They come there. They get their pure heroin," Book said.

The chairman of the Homeless Trust told us he has also found some people staying in the so-called opioid den for about three days and then leaving.

Now, Book is considering using the Marchman Act to help people, which is a Florida statute that could require people who have drug or alcohol addictions to seek treatment.

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