NEW SHOCKER FOR DRUG COPS

Lawsuit Claims Officers Stole $220gs

A Toronto policeman linked to a shadowy car dealer is named in a
$1.35-million lawsuit that alleges drug cops failed to account for
about $220,000 seized in Rob Correa, charged this week with corrupt
practice and deceit under the Police Services Act for alleged business
connections to the late Jeff Geller, is one of nine former Central
Field Command drug cops named in a lawsuit filed by pizzeria owner
Milos Markovic and his wife, Natasha.

The Markovics' lawyer, Peter Biro, said yesterday Toronto Police
internal affairs is probing his clients' allegations.

Correa, Mike McCormack, Michael Thompson and Nick Morris face 14
internal charges for their links with Geller, a car dealer whose
licence was revoked in January 2003 after he lied about his criminal
past.

In a statement of claim filed in Ontario Superior Court of Justice in
November 2003, the Markovics allege that after drug squad raids on
their North York pizzeria and Richmond Hill home Oct. 28, 1999, police
seized about $397,000 in cash, but later accounted for only $177,000.

DEPOSIT BOX 'EMPTIED'

Correa "emptied" a TD bank safety deposit box of $100,000, the claim
alleges. It is also alleged Correa's drug squad colleagues Mike Abbott
and Dan Ross raided a Royal Bank safety deposit box containing $261,000.

It alleges Correa, Abbott and Ross took $50,000 from TD and $127,000
from Royal Bank safety deposit boxes.

The couple also claims $35,000 cash, $500 US currency and other coins,
and a $1,500 bottle of Louis XIII Cognac were taken. The statement of
claim contains allegations that have not been tested in court.

Drug trafficking charges against Markovic were stayed.

Correa, Abbott, Ross and other police defendants -- Chris Higgins,
Anita Mancuso, Darren Cox, Mark Denton, Pedro Diaz and John Maciek --
deny the allegations.

The named officers did not work directly with 10 former central field
cops who in February were either charged, or named as unindicted
co-conspirators in an RCMP-led probe.