An investigation into tow truck industry violence across the Greater Toronto Area has resulted in the arrests of 20 people who are facing more than 100 charges combined, police said Wednesday.
Toronto police said they launched a wiretap investigation dubbed “Project Yankee” last October to gather evidence of a group committing crimes to control the towing industry.
The criminal organization that calls itself “The Union” was involved in murders, shootings, arsons, intimidation and extortion, police allege.
The investigation led by Toronto police’s gun and gang task force was assisted by police services in Durham and York regions along with the Ontario Provincial Police.
Police say the charges include arson and more than 50 counts of conspiracy to commit murder. The investigation also led to the execution of 14 search warrants and the seizure of four vehicles and two firearms.
Three of the seized vehicles are armour-plated, something police say points to the sophistication of the group involved in the tow truck violence.
“It’s extremely uncommon,” said Toronto police chief Supt. Joe Matthews. “We do see it in our major projects where we have the higher echelon of organized crime figures protecting themselves from their rivals.”
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said there were more than 60 tow truck-related disputes in 2024, with incidents continuing this year. Police say that 15 per cent of Toronto’s shootings in 2025 so far were related to tow truck disputes.
“As result of our investigation, acts of violence on a mass scale were deterred and prevented,” said Demkiw.
Police said they can't release any information about the planned violence due to a court-ordered publication ban.
Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday that tow truck operators who engage in violence must face justice.
“There’s some really good, honest, hard-working tow truck drivers that are just trying to make a living and then there’s some really bad dudes,” Ford told reporters at an unrelated announcement.
“If they start shooting up, they need to go to jail,” Ford said. “They need to have their tow truck confiscated. The company they’re working for needs to be accountable.”
Wednesday's announcement is the latest in a string of tow truck industry-related investigations by Greater Toronto Area police.
Tow truck-related crimes are not just restricted to the Toronto area, Matthews said, adding that collaboration with police from other jurisdictions is important to tackle crimes happening in other areas as well.
On Monday, Peel Regional Police announced the dismantling of an organized criminal network linked to the towing industry, resulting in the arrests of 18 people and the seizure of multiple tow trucks, stolen vehicles and weapons.
Earlier this month, Toronto police announced 10 arrests in connection with a string of violent incidents across the city, including a mass shooting at a pub and crimes tied to the tow truck industry.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2025.
Vanessa Tiberio, The Canadian Press
