All illegal pot shops now shut down in Hamilton, police say

Hamilton Police say theyshut down the city'slast "illegal" cannabis store on Monday night for now.

"It is a fluid situation," said Const. Jerome Stewart. "We've been battling this for months right, so we continue to be proactive."

The last raid was ofaHess Village pop-upin arear alley off George Street, said Stewart.

As of Monday night, "we've shut down all of the illegal cannabis dispensaries and storefronts"in Hamilton, he said.

Police have wagedan ongoing fight againstHamilton's unlicensed cannabis stores.At one point there were more than 80 unlicensed dispensaries open for business across the city,alocal cannabis consultant previously told CBC. In the second week of January,police said there were around 34 illegal dispensaries operating in the city.

The OPP set up ajointtask force on cannabis enforcement, which has shut down 33 dispensaries in Hamilton since November, saidDet.Staff Sgt.Luc Bouvier. That number does notinclude raids by the Hamilton Police alone, he said, like the one on Monday.

Hamilton pot shopshave also irked Premier Doug Ford, who said in April thathis "biggest frustration" when it comes to cannabis legalization was the city's failure to fully shut downillegal storefrontdispensaries.

Hamilton is now home to twolegal storefront dispensaries,Canna Cabana andHello Cannabis.