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Hamilton police 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 was also charged with drug trafficking and proceeds of crime charges.

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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 as he drove through the entire downtown core, police allege. Shortly before 8:00 p.m., it stopped at a commercial business in the city’s west end, near McMaster University.

A condition under the order includes all non-essential businesses to cease functioning

The driver was arrested for drug trafficking. During a search, police said they found further evidence to support criminal charges: 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, police said.