Police say two dozen arrested, 172 charges laid in Hamilton street gang investigation

Police in Hamilton say two dozen people have been arrested and 172 charges have been laid in an investigation into a street gang allegedly responsible for violent crime across the province.They say the investigation, dubbed Project Churchill, began in 2019 when police noted a “significant rise” in violent crime in downtown Hamilton linked to a gang self-identified as the Hot Mali Squad.They allege the gang is connected to homicides, drug trafficking, daytime shootings and robberies in Hamilton and neighbouring areas, including Toronto, Waterloo and Halton.