Eighteen people have been arrested in Hoboken in connection with a large drug investigation.

According to the Hoboken police chief, the arrests come on the heels of a two-month-long investigation between the Hoboken Police Narcotics Unit and the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. 

The investigation started after numerous complaints by residents that the businesses along the West Side Plaza on Jackson Street had become overrun by drug dealers and their customers.

"This investigation began in response to community concerns," Mayor Dawn Zimmer said in a statement. "I want to thank all residents who raised their voices about public safety."

Investigators found an "open air" drug market had formed at 301 Jackson St. and spread to other areas around the Hoboken Housing Authority. 

"I was disturbed to hear the accounts of residents explaining how West Side Plaza was no longer safe for children, seniors, and the rest of the good people of the Hoboken Housing Authority," said Hoboken Police Chief Kenneth Ferrante.

The dealers were selling a large variety of drugs, including marijuana, crack cocaine, heroin and steroids, according to investigators. Those arrested were charged with a wide variety of crimes including drug distribution and possession.