District Attorney Jason Williams announced Monday the seizure of 5 Star Auto Spa, a business located at South Claiborne Avenue and Felicity Street, following a months-long investigation into drug trafficking and other criminal activity linked to the property. The enforcement action marks a significant development in the city’s ongoing crackdown on high-violence corridors.
The seizure, which involved the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the New Orleans Police Department’s Special Operations Division, was prompted in part by repeated complaints from residents and nearby businesses. The investigation uncovered narcotics distribution, stolen weapons, and body armor at the site—evidence that led to arrests and the legal grounds for the seizure.
“This was not just a car wash,” said DA Williams at a press conference alongside federal agents, police officers, and community leaders. “It was a magnet for violence and criminal conduct, and its removal matters to the people who live and work nearby.”
The shutdown of 5 Star Auto Spa is the latest in a series of property seizures targeting hotspots of criminal activity throughout the city. Similar actions have already been taken at the London Lodge Motel, a 24-hour tire shop on North Claiborne, and New Image Market on Bienville Street. Each case, authorities say, has been driven by data analysis, intelligence sharing, and community input through the DA’s New Orleans Data-Informed Community Engagement (NODICE) initiative.
“In 2024, the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and South Claiborne was one of the city’s most violent corners,” said Daniel Shanks, the DA’s Director of Strategic Initiatives. “This case is a textbook example of how community voices, solid data, and smart law enforcement can work together to stop crime where it starts.”
Councilmember Lesli Harris, whose district includes the seized property, praised the coordinated response and highlighted her office’s role in elevating residents’ concerns. “Our neighborhoods deserve safety and stability,” she said. “Today’s action moves us closer to that goal.”
Federal agents emphasized that the seizure reflects a broader commitment to dismantling criminal networks. “This operation is a powerful example of what can be accomplished through strong partnerships and intelligence-driven enforcement,” said Eric DeLaune, Special Agent in Charge of HSI. “We are sending a clear message: those who traffic in violence and narcotics will be identified and held accountable.”
NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick added that lasting change requires prosecutorial follow-through. “We can make arrests all day, but unless we have a District Attorney who’s willing to take these cases and see them through, we can’t get to real accountability,” she said.
DA Williams echoed that sentiment and pushed back on any notion that this was anti-business. “Don’t get it twisted—we’re pro-business,” Williams said. “But when a business becomes a front for drug trafficking, gun crime, and violence in our neighborhoods, we’re going to act.”
The seizure of 5 Star Auto Spa, officials say, is one step in a larger mission to reclaim neighborhoods for the families and businesses who live and work there.
“This isn’t a one-off,” Williams concluded. “This is how we take back our city—block by block, business by business, before tragedy strikes.”
