T.O. COPS FIND CURE FOR OUR GANG 'CANCER'

500 Charges, 65 Arrested In Biggest Sweep Ever

THE LARGEST anti-gang sweep in Toronto's history started yesterday in
a series of pre-dawn raids in the Malvern community. Toronto Police
said they've dismantled the Malvern Crew, a highly organized street
gang that terrorized the Scarborough community through violence, drug
trafficking and extortion.

"Let there be no mistake: street gangs are cancers that, left
unchecked, consume and destroy our communities," Chief Julian Fantino
said.

For the first time in Toronto, police will implement federal anti-gang
legislation, also known as "gangsterism" charges, to prosecute those
arrested.

Gangsterism charges were successfully laid against members of the
Quebec Hells Angels earlier this year.

"It allows us to target the leaders, those who direct and initiate
gang's activities, those who normally insulate themselves from law
enforcement action," Fantino said.

The year-long operation, code-named Project Impact, culminated
yesterday as hundreds of heavily armed officers from forces around the
GTA, Barrie and the RCMP executed 71 search warrants about 5 a.m.

Police arrested 65 people, seized a total of 28 firearms, a kilo of
crystal meth, 16 kilos of MDMA, 100,000 hits of Ecstasy as well as
hydroponic marijuana, hashish and cocaine.

The Malvern Crew's reign of terror involved drug and weapons
trafficking, violence, retail robbery, telemarketing scams, property
crime, fraud and extortion, police said.

More than 500 charges have been laid so far, including 82 charges of
participating in a criminal organization.

As the raids began, the only warning bleary-eyed gang members were
given was a "knock-knock-bang" on their front doors, as ETF officers
used battering rams to storm their homes. It was the first time all
six of Toronto's ETF units were deployed during a major operation.

Margaret Singleton, who has lived in Malvern for the past 30 years,
said she was glad her neighbourhood was being cleaned up and made safer.

"I'd rather have them (police) do it now than later," said
Singleton.

Staff-Supt. Bill Blair described the Malvern Crew "as an organization
that exists to commit crime.

"This organization has used violence to establish its turf, intimidate
witnesses, intimidate the community and fend off rival gangsters,"
Blair said.

Police wouldn't speculate on whether any of the gang members played a
role in recent murders, but Blair noted "gun violence in that area is
attributed to street gangs. And this is a street gang
investigation."

Names of the accused and charges will be released today, police said.