Hamilton Police Service has shut down an unlicensed cannabis store operating on the city’s Main Street East, seizing a quantity of illicit cannabis.

On Thursday, June 12, 2025, members of the city’s Major Drugs and Gangs Unit, in collaboration with the Division 20 HEAT Unit, executed a search warrant at Hi Gradez Cannabis Dispensary following a community complaint. 

Investigators determined the business was operating without the appropriate provincial authorization required to sell cannabis.

Under Section 6 of the Cannabis Control Act (CCA), only authorized retailers may legally sell or distribute cannabis in Ontario. Additionally, Section 13 of the Act prohibits property owners from knowingly allowing their premises to be used for illegal cannabis activities. 

One woman was arrested during the search and has been released with a future court date.

Individuals convicted under these sections may face fines ranging from $10,000 to $250,000, imprisonment of up to two years, or both. Corporations can face even steeper financial penalties.