More details are emerging about a massive illegal car meetup in Nassau County, on Long Island. According to police, the gathering ended with six people arrested and nearly two dozen cars seized as officers moved in on the crowd.
Police say about 150 cars filled the parking lot at the Mitchell Athletic Complex in Uniondale on Tuesday night. Authorities described the gathering as a disorderly meetup that had not been permitted, drawing a large number of vehicles to the site.
Among those taken into custody was 18-year-old Malena Galeo, who police say was driving one of the cars at the meetup. She was arrested along with her four passengers, two of whom were minors, according to authorities.
Investigators indicated that the enforcement action may not be over. Police said more arrests could be coming and made clear that this type of gathering would not be tolerated in the county.
Officials also pointed to the chaotic nature of the event as part of the case they are building. Police said some participants lost their bumpers during the meetup, and that officers recorded license plates that could help identify others who took part.
The Uniondale meetup was not an isolated incident in the region. It came just days after a separate street takeover in Suffolk County, where police said 15 people were arrested and seven vehicles were seized in a similar crackdown.
Taken together, the two operations point to a broader push by Long Island police against unsanctioned car gatherings and street takeovers. Authorities framed the seizures and arrests as a warning that further gatherings of this kind would draw the same response.