Police made 71 arrests during pre-dawn raids in the GTA and Ottawa Tuesday as part of an investigation into two street gangs in northwest Toronto.
Project Corral, which began in August in response to a spike in violent crime, focused on the Falstaff Crips and the Five Point Generals.
Police seized 19 firearms, $30,000 cash, $10,500 in casino cheques, more than 10,000 ecstasy pills, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, hashish oil, diamonds, body armour and motor vehicles.
The investigation uncovered that a third gang, the Shower Posse, controlled the Falstaff Crips and the Five Point Generals by supplying them with narcotics and weapons. "We've actually tapped into them (Shower Posse) quite well during this investigation through the contacts with the Falstaff Crips and the Five Point Generals," Staff Insp. Mike Earl told reporters during a Tuesday afternoon news conference at police headquarters. "As a result of us identifying the Shower Posse we ended up seizing cocaine and identifying cocaine coming in from Panama, Dominican Republic and United States."
As part of the investigation, police seized 72 kilos of cocaine in the Dominican Republic. The drugs were allegedly destined for Toronto. "There are three people from the Toronto area who are in custody in the Dominican," Earl said.
About 1,000 police officers from 19 jurisdictions were involved in Tuesday's raids, which occurred at 105 homes.
The Falstaff Crips originate from Falstaff Avenue near Jane Street and Hwy. 401 while the Five Point Generals have roots in the nearby Lawrence Avenue and Black Creek Drive area.
"But they've spread out," said Earl. "They no longer just concentrate in these areas."
Earl noted two murders on Falstaff Avenue are "linked" to Project Corral.