Drug dealer was ‘issued the ticket simply because the business he was operating is not considered essential.’ — Const. Jerome Stewart,

Police in Hamilton, Ont., charged an alleged street drug dealer with violating the COVID- 19 emergency declaration for conducting a non- essential business during the pandemic shutdown.

The 29- year- old man has also been charged with drug trafficking and proceeds of crime charges.

Members of the Hamilton police drug unit were in the city’s east end when they saw a black Jeep Grand Cherokee being driven in an aggressive manner on Friday.

Officers discovered the vehicle was improperly plated and began monitoring its movements, police said.

The officers watched the Jeep stop several times as the driver pulled over to conduct drug transactions, police allege.

Shortly before 8 p.m ., it stopped at a business in the city’s west end.

The driver was arrested for drug trafficking.

During a search, police said they found cocaine valued at $ 3,400 divided into a number of small plastic bags, along with $ 5,690 in Canadian currency and $ 20 in U.S. currency.

He was then also notified of the unusual charge of violating the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.

“Currently, due to COVID-19, a declaration of emergency has been enacted under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. A condition under the order includes all non- essential businesses to cease functioning,” Const. Jerome Stewart said. “He was issued the ticket simply because the business he was operating is not considered essential.”

This is the second violation of the province’s COVID- 19 business shutdown in Hamilton.

On March 19, a hookah lounge on Upper James Street, called the Shisha Kaif Cafe, was visited by police after a complaint it was operating as usual. Officers found evidence it was in violation of the emergency shutdown order, Stewart said.

“We issued the business a ticket as well as a representatives of the business for failing to comply with the order made during the declared emergency.”

In an effort to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, the Ontario government ordered the mandatory closure of all non- essential workplaces effective March 24.