'WANTS TO CLEAR HIS NAME'

Out On Bail, 'Hard-Working' T.O. Traffic Cop Is 'Stunned' By
Laundering Allegations

A Toronto traffic constable charged with two dozen others in the
sweep of an East European drug gang is accused of laundering $54,900,
according to court documents.

Ioan-Florin Floria, 34, was released on $20,000 bail without deposit
Thursday morning in Scarborough court after his mother, Cornelia
Floria, acted as his surety. He is to appear in court next on July 30.

He is charged with laundering proceeds of crime and being an
accessory after the fact of kidnapping and two counts each of breach
of trust and attempt to obstruct justice.

Floria, who has always served as a uniformed officer in his
eight-year career, has been suspended with pay.

"I think it's fair to say he's outraged, perplexed and stunned by the
allegations," Floria's lawyer, Andy McKay, said yesterday.

He said Floria, who goes by John, said he has had calls of concern
from family in Romania. "He is looking forward to disclosure and
wants to clear his name," said McKay, who described the accused as a
"hard-working cop."

The information filed to the court by Professional Standards Det.
Joel Kulmatycki alleges Floria "did knowing that unknown persons have
been a party to the offence of kidnapping ... did assist the unknown
persons for the purpose of enabling the unknown persons to escape"
since last Nov. 18.

Floria is also accused of attempting to obstruct justice by
"withholding evidence" since Dec. 23.

The officer's alleged involvement was discovered by police early in
the 18-month investigation, partly because of his alleged association
with some of the other accused.

SIMILAR DRUG SWEEP

Drug Squad Staff-Insp. Don Campbell said he doesn't know Floria's
alleged motives for any involvement.

The sweep Thursday stems from another similar drug sweep last year.
When the void was created in May 2006 after police in the U.S. and
Canada arrested 24 people in Project Masdinero, which targeted an
operation swapping marijuana for cocaine.

Police then launched Project Mascinzana/Osigns about 18 months ago. A
Woodbridge man arrested Thursday was also arrested in Masdinero and
in another case in 2005 in which RCMP in Windsor seized $935,000 US
in suspected drug money being smuggled back into Canada across the
Detroit River.

The two cases show "there's always somebody in the wings waiting to
replace" traffickers, Campbell said.

Campbell said a pound of B.C. marijuana is worth about $1,000 in
Ontario, but its value triples in Detroit and is worth $6,000 in New York City.

Three people were kidnapped by members of the gang because "sometimes
packages go astray and they blame their own," he said.

KIDNAPPINGS

The kidnappings were to force payments for the missing drugs. The
victims were threatened with the safety of their families. Campbell
said police then discovered there was a plot for a third kidnapping
after detectives intercepted a load of marijuana.