CHINATOWN, Manhattan (WABC) — A large police presence shut down part of New York City’s Canal Street on Tuesday as federal agents carried out an investigation targeting illegal street vendors. The agents are part of a joint Immigration and Customs Enforcement crackdown, a law enforcement official told ABC News. NewsCopter 7 showed arrests taking place between Lafayette and Center streets. The scene grew chaotic as vendors attempted to flee, with several people seen running and falling as agents pursued them. Traffic along Canal Street came to a standstill, with cars trapped between law enforcement officers and bystanders watching the arrests unfold.
The operation is part of an ongoing federal investigation. Canal Street remains closed as agents continue making arrests and clearing the area.
