2 youths charged after allegedly selling illicit drugs to unhoused persons in downtown Hamilton

Two youths are facing several charges after allegedly trafficking illicit drugs to unhoused individuals in downtown Hamilton on Wednesday.

Hamilton Police Service said members of its High Enforcement Action Team (H.E.A.T) were near King Street East and James Street North when they saw two youths “displaying characteristics that are indicative of drug trafficking.”

They allege the youths were seen dealing drugs like dilaudid and fentanyl to people experiencing homelessness.

Hamilton police said they were able to “form grounds” to arrest the pair under the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act (CDSA) and arrested one of the youths without incident.

The other suspect ran away, but was arrested following a brief foot chase, they said.

The youths, who cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, are each facing a number of charges for drug possession, among other things.

Police shared a photo of the items that were allegedly found on the youths at the time of their arrest.

Late last year, Hamilton police charged 57 people and laid 103 criminal charges following a five-week-long investigation into the alleged operation of a so-called “open air drug market” in the city’s downtown area.

Police said, as a result of that investigation, they seized large amounts of crack cocaine, cannabis, methamphetamine and fentanyl, as well as $12,000 in coins.

Hamilton police are asking anyone with information that could assist them with this investigation to contact the on-duty Division 1 Staff Sergeant at 905-546-4725 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.