Joint-forces operations and internal task forces

Joint-forces operations

A joint-forces operation is an investigation made possible by the teamwork of two or more partnering police services or law enforcement agencies.

Project

Wrangler

Following a series of violent incidents across southern and eastern Ontario and in Quebec between April 15, 2024 and March 20, 2025, a joint-forces operation dubbed Project Wrangler resulted in the dismantling of a violent criminal group.

The operation involved collaboration between York Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, Toronto Police Service, London Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police and the Surete du Quebec.

Police arrested 13 people and laid more than 150 charges. Four firearms were also seized. 

Learn more about Project Wrangler: A Little Help From Our Friends: Project Wrangler Takes Down Crime Group

Project

Madruga

More than $215,000 in illicit drugs, seven handguns, four shotguns and four rifles were seized, and six suspects were arrested following a months-long investigation into drug trafficking in Georgina.

Learn more about Project Madruga: Project Madruga Stamps Out Drug Trafficking in Georgina

Project

Endless

In December 2024, York Regional Police, working in a partnership with the Ontario Provincial Police Border Drug Interdiction Task Force and the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, began an investigation into a suspect who was importing and exporting large quantities of controlled substances. Through investigation, other associates were identified in connection with drugs being trafficked across York Region and elsewhere in Ontario.

On October 25, 2025, investigators executed five search warrants at residences in the Greater Toronto Area. As a result, eight suspects were charged and 34 charges were laid.

Police seized significant quantities of drugs, guns and ammunition, vehicles and cash.

Costs

$407,794

Project

South

In February 2026, York Regional Police investigators arrested and charged seven Toronto Police Service officers, one retired Toronto Police Service officer, and 19 additional suspects in a seven-month investigation into organized crime and corruption.

The investigation, dubbed Project South, began in June 2025, after police uncovered and stopped a conspiracy to commit murder at a home in York Region.

Project South would not have been possible without resources and contributions from York Regional Police, the Toronto Police Service, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Correctional Services within Ontario’s Ministry of the Solicitor General. Supporting these investigators was a dedicated team of prosecutors from the Ministry of the Attorney General and the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Costs

$2,150,173

Project

Lone Wolf

In October 2024, the York Regional Police Integrated Property Crime Task Force launched an investigation into series of residential break and enters believed to have been perpetrated by the same suspects. The suspects targeted unoccupied homes throughout the fall and winter months which appeared to be vacant while the homeowners were away.

In May 2025, investigators charged three suspects who had carried out coordinated overnight break and enters disabling security systems and cameras by cutting wires and using radio frequency jammers. The suspects stole jewelry, handbags, cash and other items that could be easily transported from the residence to waiting vehicles. Numerous items were recovered.

Investigators partnered with the Durham Regional Police Service, the Halton Regional Police Service and Ontario Provincial Police in order to identify suspects, gather evidence and to assist in identifying additional victims.

In November 2025, the primary suspect was arrested and charged with nine offences.

Project

Series

Project Series was a specialized collaborative initiative led by the Ontario Provincial Police Child Sexual Exploitation Unit in partnership with the provincial Internet Child Exploitation Strategy. The project was designed as a proactive effort to identify, locate and disrupt individuals who engage in the online luring of children. Project Series enhanced the province’s capacity to detect child luring and intervene.

Internal Task Forces

An internal task force is an investigation that combines the resources of two or more units within York Regional Police 

Operation

Auto guard 3.0

Taking place in fall 2025, Operation Auto Guard 3.0 was the third iteration of a campaign aimed at combatting auto theft in the south end of York Region, with a focus on enforcement, community engagement and crime prevention strategies.

Operation Auto Guard 3.0 was made possible through our partnership with Équité Association, and through funding provided by the Ontario Government’s Ministry of the Solicitor General.

Through the tireless work of our dedicated Operation Auto Guard team (part of our Auto Cargo Theft Unit), with the assistance of Criminal Investigations Bureaus and the Air Support Unit, a total of 73 stolen vehicles were recovered, worth $5 million.

Forty-eight people, including one youth, were arrested and 242 charges laid. More broadly, as of December 2025, there was a 35 per cent drop year over year in car thefts.

Costs

$302,766

Project

Chatter

Investigators with York Regional Police arrested 23 suspects in connection with an investigation into firearms and drug trafficking in York Region and the Greater Toronto area.

The investigation, dubbed Project Chatter, was launched in October 2024 by the Guns, Gangs and Drug Enforcement Unit.

Costs

$100,880

Learn more about Project Chatter: Project Chatter silences gun, drug trafficking

Project

Dusk

This is the second year of Project Dusk, which tackled residential break-and-enters in the fall and winter by organized crime groups.

2025 marked the second year of Project Dusk, which tackled residential break-and-enters in the fall and winter by organized crime groups.

IPCTF investigators, with the help of district Criminal Investigations Bureaus, dismantled six separate crime groups responsible for break-and-enters across York Region and the Greater Toronto Area.

Police laid 235 charges related to 47 residential break and enters in which more than $2 million dollars of valuables were recovered.

Project

Laskin

On September 1, 2023, Rakesh “Rick” Joshi was murdered inside his residence in Vaughan. The cause of death was deemed a homicide.

The Homicide Unit took over the investigation, but after an 18-months no arrests were made. This led to the use of undercover operators and a wiretap investigation. On April 28, 2025, a suspect was arrested and charged with first-degree murder.

This investigation exemplified cross-unit collaboration to resolve a very challenging case that had a significant impact on community safety.  

Project

Mattel

In March 2025, the Integrated Property Crime Task Force (IPCTF) began an investigation into an organized crime group committing residential break and enters. The group conducted multiple checks on residences to ensure no one was home before smashing rear sliding doors to gain entry.

In June 2025, Investigators from IPCTF, with the assistance of district Criminal Investigations Bureaus, arrested five individuals and executed search warrants on four residences and six suspected vehicles. Stolen property was recovered and police seized break-in tools and a radio frequency jammer.