Thursday, October 1, 2026
Police arrested a Long Beach man on Nov. 24 and charged him with peddling cocaine in a West End bar following an 18-month investigation that police officials said could lead to more arrests.
Long Beach Police Department Narcotic Task Force officers arrested Ronald Bassi, 46, in Trainor’s Bar, at 912 W. Beech St. According to police, Bassi, a bar patron, had sold cocaine there for the past year. When he was arrested, police said, he had 10 bags of cocaine and several hundred dollars in cash.
Police launched the investigation after receiving complaints about drug activity in the bar, and they described Bassi’s arrest as a significant drug bust in the West End. The street value of the drugs he allegedly had in his possession was estimated at more than $1,000, Detective Lt. James Canner said.
“We had specific complaints concerning that area and that location …,” Canner said. “When we looked into it we discovered that this individual was in fact involved in the sale of cocaine. I think [officers] diligently worked the investigation, and we are continuing to work it. It was a success and I anticipate more arrests.”
Police charged Bassi with numerous counts of third-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance and third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, both felonies. He is scheduled to appear in Nassau County Court on Dec. 21.
When asked if he expected more arrests to be made at Trainor’s or as a result of drug deals at other locations, Canner said only that the investigation is continuing, and that he could not reveal how Bassi allegedly sold the drugs in the bar. “I can say that there will be more arrests in the future,” he added.
The arrest came as a shock to local residents, who said that Trainor’s is usually one of the more low-key establishments in the West End. Resident Rich Papetti, who lives nearby, said that the bar has been in business for nearly 40 years and is a family-run business.
“There’s never been any kind of difficulty with them, no noise problems — aside from an occasional fight, it hasn’t been a problem,” Papetti said. “It’s not a place associated with drugs at all — I think the guy was doing it while the management was unaware.”
Owner James Trainor could not be reached for comment. Other residents echoed Papetti’s remarks, saying that Trainor’s is one of the lower-decibel bars on the strip, a “friendly” neighborhood bar.
“That’s surprising for Trainor’s because that’s been one of the quieter bars in the neighborhood and we’ve never heard about big issues there,” said one neighbor who declined to be identified.
She added, however, that residents have been concerned about other possible drug activity in the West End. “This has been an ongoing concern, drug dealing in some of the bars,” she said.
Canner said that police are investigating whether the bar’s managers or the owner had any knowledge of the alleged sales, and that the department notified the State Liquor Authority of Bassi’s arrest.
According to the liquor authority, Trainor’s has been issued several violations in the past, some for serving liquor to minors. William Crowley, a spokesman for the authority, said that the agency is notified about the violations through police reports that are sent to it.
Trainor’s’ most recent violation was issued in June 2009, for selling alcohol to a person or persons under 21, and the authority imposed a $5,000 civil penalty, which was recently paid. The bar has had only one other similar violation since 2002, in 2008.
“Every one of these have been adjudicated,” Crowley said. “When we get two in a row, we’re sending people in there to check. If [Trainor’s] had a third violation, or sale to minor, I could say they would have almost certainly lost their license.”
Crowley confirmed that the liquor authority was notified about Bassi’s arrest, but could not say whether the agency, which has nine investigators covering New York City and Long Island, was moving forward with its own investigation. “At this point we have the referral and our counsel’s office does have it,” he said.
Comments about this story? Arifilato@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 213.
