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Project Pharaoh: Rexdale gang Monstarz tied to violence in GTA

A Hamilton police officer was among 32 people arrested and charged in connection with a series of pre-dawn raids across the GTA Thursday morning that targeted a "mid-level" gang known as Monstarz.

Hamilton police officer among those charged in multi-year investigation

CBC News ·

Hamilton cop arrested in gang raid

9 years ago
Duration 19:59
A Hamilton police officer has been arrested after a series of gang raids across the GTHA

Police said they seized 14 arms, including an automatic Uzi. (Charlsie Agro/CBC)
A Hamilton police officer was among 32 people arrested and charged in connection with a series of pre-dawn raids across the GTA Thursday morning that targeted a "mid-level" gang known as Monstarz, investigators said today. 

More than 700 police officers from forces including the RCMP and police in Toronto, York Region and Hamilton helped execute more than 50 search warrants as part of a multi-year investigation, dubbed Project Pharaoh. 

Police said about $3.8 million worth of drugs, mainly cocaine, 14 firearms and $196,000 in cash were seized during the operation, which included raids in Peel Region, Halton, Barrie, Brantford and Toronto.  
Monstarz appears to have specialized in cocaine and marijuana trafficking. (Charlsie Agro/CBC)

The Hamilton officer charged is 41-year-old Det.-Const.Craig Ruthowsky, a 17-year veteran of the force who has been suspended with pay since 2012 following an unrelated incident.

In relation to Project Pharaoh, he has been charged with: 

  • Breach of trust.
  • Conspiracy to commit an indictable (traffic cocaine).
  • Participate in activities of a criminal organization.
  • Commission of an indictable offence for a criminal organization.
According to police, Monstarz is based primarily in the northwest Toronto neighbourhood of Rexdale, but has had dealings with various criminal organizations across southwestern Ontario. 

The gang has recently been embroiled in a bloody turf war with the notorious Toronto-based Jamestown Gang, police said Friday at a news conference, and have been tied to 44 reported incidents of violence in the city since May 2011. 

Investigators allege that Monstarz members were involved in a high-profile shooting last summer, which police described at the time as a "running gun battle" that played out in broad daylight around an apartment complex in Rexdale and later in front of Etobicoke General Hospital. During that melee, several bullets struck the hospital, smashing windows, and staff were forced into a lockdown situation. 

Police said Friday that including arrests prior to yesterday's raids, a total of 60 people have been arrested in connection to Project Pharaoh. 

More than 700 police officers participated in the series of raids, part of a multi-year investigation dubbed Project Pharaoh. (Tony Smyth/CBC)

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