Persistent problem: Crime woes plague Hamilton as police make high-profile busts [Video]

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, …