‘Persistent problem’: Crime woes plague Hamilton as police make high-profile busts

Hamilton police have been trying to crack down on crime, shutting down a tunnel system, drug shack, and open-air drug market, but it’s also showing how desperate the situation is for the most vulnerable.

Hamilton police Insp. Jim Callender says tackling the drug issue has been a persistent problem, and that “the ability for criminal organizations or individuals to profit on the backs of those battling addiction is high.”

At the start of this month, police announced it had shut down an open-air drug market operating at King Street and East Avenue, which has been the subject of numerous community complaints for more than five years.

Police say the market was set up near an elementary school, park, and St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church which runs services to help the communities most vulnerable.

‘Exploitation and capitalization’

Callender says the operation was likely set up in this location to target the more vulnerable population, people struggling with homelessness and drug addiction.

“The opioid crisis is an issue in the province, and I think that’s one of the biggest concerns that we have when we talk about people who are battling addiction, and there’s the exploitation and the capitalization on that on those addictions, and unfortunately, the people that are running these criminal operations are preying on those individuals to make money for themselves,” Callender told Global News this week.

Throughout its investigation, police said 57 people were arrested, and 103 charges were laid.

Callender says while drug markets are not new, this specific operation was persistent, reopening time and time again after each arrest, and not keeping the drugs on site.

He said it was likely able to go on so long because of those it targeted, even employing some within the organization paying them drugs or small amounts of cash.

“To the point of what we feel was they became expendable product for them in the sense that the available person was you just work for me, and if you get arrested, it doesn’t affect my operation,” he said.

Then, this past week, officers raided a makeshift structure nicknamed “The Shack” along the CP Rail line, near Lincoln and Barton streets. According to Hamilton police, the location was allegedly used for storing and selling drugs and weapons.

Police say the raid on “The Shack” was part of a broader effort to dismantle drug trafficking networks across Hamilton.

Then, on Tuesday, police discovered a series of man-made holes and tunnels within Gage Park during a proactive encampment check.

Tunnelling to stay warm

Police say the large hole was about six feet deep and dug into the park ground.

Upon closer inspection, police say they found a series of tunnels carved out of the surrounding soil to allow extension cords and other electrical wiring to connect to multiple tents in this location, with a generator in another hole covered up.

A final power cord was found to be running from the generator to a City of Hamilton light pole.

Following an investigation, police believe one man was responsible for the mischief to the property and charged with three counts of drug possession for the purposes of trafficking, amongst other charges.

But all this, advocates say, shows how desperate a situation it is for many people in the community.

Kojo Damptey is a PhD student at McMaster University in the faculty of Social Sciences and is one of 400 people who signed an open call for action to address homelessness and the housing crisis.

He says it is not surprising to see encampments like this and that it speaks to the emergency need to provide resources to people so that they have housing and other vital resources.

“It’s a story about people that have been left without resources, and when you are left without resources, this is what happens,” Damptey said.

“The issue around encampments has long been a standing issue across the province and across the country. So when our municipal and provincial governments are providing those resources, this is what ends up happening.”

On Thursday, the Ontario government unveiled legislation that is aimed at helping municipalities clear homeless encampments out of public parks through the use of stronger trespass laws and fines or jail time for illegal drug use in public.

Premier Doug Ford said that families should be able to enjoy parks, and people facing homelessness, addiction, or mental health challenges should be supported in the right settings.

The legislation would also allow police and provincial offences officers to ticket or arrest people using illegal drugs in public, with penalties of up to $10,000 or six months in jail.

It is unclear when these measures would take effect, but legal advocates have previously argued that case law is pretty clear regarding encampments.

Several courts have refused to grant an injunction to the municipality to allow them to evict encampment residents without adequate, accessible alternative accommodations.

The Association of Municipalities of Ontario estimates there were at least 1,400 homeless encampments in communities small and large throughout the province last year.

Damtey says homeless encampments are a very serious issue not just in Hamilton but across the country, and said the focus needs to be on providing resources to help people instead of enforcement.

“I would say that all three levels of government have really abdicated their role in providing resources for people in need,” Damptey said.

Reacting to what’s been happening in the community, Hamilton’s Mayor Andrea Horwath said it’s unacceptable some people have taken to digging and living in holes to stay warm.

“People are not animals, they are human beings and we need to do better when it comes to providing housing and shelter for people,” Horwarth said.

The mayor says the city is working to significantly expand its shelter system to provide options for people so they don’t need to live in tents.

–with files from Global News’ Prisha Dev and The Canadian Press’s Liam Casey and Allison Jones