Project South has led to the arrest of at least eight current and former Toronto police officers amid allegations that organized crime infiltrated the service. Investigators say officers accepted bribes, leaked private data used in violent incidents, and aided an alleged plot to kill a corrections officer. The probe — involving more than 400 officers and at least 30 arrests — recovered large quantities of drugs and is prompting a review of cases handled by the accused officers. Four charged officers have been suspended without pay.
At Least Eight Current and Former Toronto Police Arrested in Wide-Ranging Organized Crime Probe
The Toronto police service chief, Myron Demkiw, left, is joined by York regional police chief, Jim MacSween, center, and his deputy, Ryan Hogan, at a news conference.Photograph: Jon Blacker/AP(Photograph: Jon Blacker/AP)
At least eight current and former members of the Toronto Police Service were arrested after Project South, a large-scale investigation that authorities say revealed the “corrosive” influence of organized crime within Canada’s largest municipal police force.
Allegations and Scope
Police allege some officers accepted bribes, aided drug traffickers, leaked private information to criminal contacts that was later used in shootings, and assisted organized-crime members in an alleged plot to murder a corrections officer. Authorities say the inquiry has exposed deeply troubling breaches of trust inside the service.
“No corner of society is immune from the reach of organized crime, but when organized crime penetrates the Toronto police service, the harm goes far beyond the immediate wrongdoing,”
Chief Myron Demkiw called the allegations “deeply disappointing” and warned, “To those charged today, you will answer for your actions in a court of law.”
Investigation Details
York Regional Police Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan said Project South began in June 2025 after an attempt to murder a corrections officer working at a Toronto jail. Over roughly a 36-hour period, several suspects allegedly attended the officer’s home in York Region with the intent to kill him; surveillance footage shown at a news conference showed three masked, armed men visiting the house and ramming a police cruiser parked in the driveway.
More than 400 officers from York Regional Police, Toronto Police and the Ontario Provincial Police took part in the investigation, which has led to at least 30 arrests and uncovered links between police misconduct and organized-crime networks.
Seizures and Charges
Seven civilians were charged alongside the officers, including three accused in the alleged plot to murder the corrections officer and four others suspected of ties to international organized crime. Investigators allege one civilian, Brian Da Costa, ran a sophisticated trafficking operation; police say an earlier arrest on January 23 resulted in the seizure of 169 pounds of cannabis and one pound of fentanyl that was believed destined for Europe.
Police say some officers provided “protection” to suspects trafficking fentanyl and cannabis and stole personal documents from a police facility, including driver’s licences, passports and health cards. Among those charged are a father-and-son pair accused of leaking information to criminals.
Accountability and Next Steps
Demkiw described the case as being “of an incredible magnitude” and unprecedented in his tenure. He said the service will undertake an honest, critical review to identify failures and restore public trust while emphasizing that these allegations do not represent the more than 8,000 members of the Toronto Police Service.
Hogan said investigators will re-examine cases handled by the charged officers to determine whether those matters were influenced or undermined. Four charged officers have been suspended without pay pending the outcome of legal and disciplinary proceedings.
The police union issued a brief statement: “As a professional labour organization, we will ensure our members receive due process and wellness support as required.” The union said it had no further comment on the investigation or the members involved.
Broader Concerns
Authorities also highlighted connections between the inquiry and the tow-truck industry, which police say has seen rising turf disputes, gun violence and organised-crime involvement in recent years.
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