Hamilton Police Shut Down 2 Illegal Cannabis Dispensaries, 2 Men Charged

Hamilton police have shut down two illegal cannabis dispensaries, one on Wellington Street North and one on Barton Street East. Police said the Wellington Street location had reopened the day after officers first searched it about two weeks earlier.

Second search at Wellington Street North

According to the Hamilton Police Service, the Divisional HEAT Unit and the Major Drugs and Gangs Unit carried out a search warrant at 45 Wellington Street North about two weeks before the latest enforcement. The dispensary opened again the next day, and police said the building owner was notified.

On Oct. 29, officers returned with another search warrant, shut the operation down and barred anyone from entering the premises, including the building owner, police said.

A 27-year-old Hamilton man is charged with:

• Selling cannabis other than as an authorized retailer
• Possession of illicit cannabis
• Possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling
• Proceeds of crime

Barton Street East dispensary

Police also executed a warrant at another illegal cannabis dispensary at 1142 Barton Street East, with help from Ontario's Ministry of Labour and Immigration, City of Hamilton bylaw officers and the OPP Contraband Tobacco Enforcement Team. A 24-year-old man is charged with:

• Possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000
• Trafficking in controlled tobacco
• Possession of illicit cannabis
• Possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling
• Selling cannabis without authorization

None of the charges have been proven in court.

Police warn operators and landlords

Chief Frank Bergen said reopening after police enforcement will bring further action.

“Our message to illegal cannabis operators is clear: we are coming for you,” Bergen said. “You cannot simply collect the rent and ignore what is happening on your property.”

Police said about 30 illegal cannabis dispensaries are operating in Hamilton, and that residents and licensed cannabis businesses continue to raise concerns. According to police, search warrants and charges alone have not stopped some operators from reopening almost right away, and the service is taking further steps to disrupt repeat activity. Police said illegal cannabis establishments often have ties to broader organized crime networks, and that addressing fentanyl trafficking remains a priority.

Hamilton's Crime Severity Index was 54.82 in 2025, down 6.61% from the previous year, and its Violent Crime Severity Index was 68.79, according to Statistics Canada.