Newly revealed details indicate that a police officer implicated in a broad investigation into organized crime and police misconduct in Ontario purportedly schemed to establish and operate illicit cannabis dispensaries and erotic massage parlors in Toronto. Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt is among the 27 individuals charged earlier this year in Project South, a comprehensive probe conducted by York Region police that exposed allegations ranging from bribery to drug trafficking and conspiracy to commit murder. Police documents submitted for warrant approval in the investigation suggest that Barnhardt was assigned the task of scouting suitable locations for underground dispensaries and massage parlors, as well as coordinating measures to shield them from enforcement actions.
Allegedly, the officer agreed to provide advance notice of inspections, arrange cash bribes for police and bylaw officers, and facilitate the unauthorized use of police databases to shield the illicit establishments from legal repercussions. The purported plan involved Barnhardt and Brian Da Costa, both identified as pivotal figures in the investigation, along with several other defendants. While Barnhardt’s lawyer refrained from commenting on the accusations, Da Costa’s legal representative did not immediately respond to requests for statements.
The latest information emerges as media outlets challenge a publication ban on the documents and extensive redactions in the information-to-obtain (ITO) files. The Canadian Press, CBC News, and other media entities have been contesting the ban in court. Ontario Superior Court Justice Laura Bird recently permitted the release of additional contents from the documents, striking a balance between transparency and the defendants’ right to a fair trial.
According to investigators, Barnhardt allegedly disclosed confidential information to Da Costa, which was allegedly used in a suspected murder plot against a correctional officer and other criminal activities. The fresh allegations stem from newly unsealed segments of the police documents. While the documents outline the authorities’ beliefs at the time of filing, the allegations contained within have not yet been tested in a court of law. Previous disclosures from the documents in July highlighted a purported connection between the Project South investigation and the case of former Canadian Olympian Ryan Wedding, who faces accusations of leading an international drug trafficking network.
