In a home takeover, out-of-town drug traffickers prey on low-income residents in social housing units and those who are otherwise marginalized. They forcefully take over their residence, and convert them into “trap houses.”

In other words, people’s residences become the base from which these groups produce and sell drugs and operate their business. These trap houses shield the drug traffickers from police and other authorities by reducing their need to sell drugs in public spaces.

Residents often have no choice but to accept these groups into their residence. Our research participants reported that out-of-town drug traffickers use a range of violent, coercive and manipulative tactics to gain initial access to their homes, including providing free drugs, forcing drug repayments, violence and extortion.

top 3 comments

sorted by: hot top controversial new old

[–] x00z@lemmy.world 24 points 7 months ago

If only drugs were sold at legal establishments that paid taxes.

One might even think the war on drugs is the root cause of this criminal behavior.

[–] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 18 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Residents often have no choice but to accept these groups into their residence.

Because cops are corrupt and people can't trust them...

A corrupt police force causes a shit ton of crime because of this.

[–] HellsBelle@sh.itjust.works 9 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Especially T-Bay cops. Their history is rife with racism.

https://thewalrus.ca/the-deadly-racism-of-thunder-bay/