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, investigators said today.

More than 700 police officers from forces includingtheRCMP and police inToronto, York Regionand Hamilton helped execute more than 50 search warrants as part of a multi-yearinvestigation, dubbed Project Pharaoh.

• Project Pharoahgang raids lead to arrest of Hamilton cop
• Monstarz, alleged gang members, arrested in pre-dawn raids

Police said about $3.8 million worth of drugs, mainly cocaine, 14 firearms and $196,000 in cash wereseized during the operation, which included raids in Peel Region, Halton, Barrie, Brantford and Toronto.

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.

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 allegethat Monstarz members were involved in a high-profile shooting last summer,whichpolice 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 Fridaythat including arrests prior to yesterday's raids, a total of 60 people have been arrested in connection to Project Pharaoh.