‘The Union': 20 arrests, over 100 charges laid in GTA tow truck crackdown
An armoured vehicle and some firearms seized as part of a Toronto police investigation into violence in the tow truck industry are shown. (Toronto Police Service)
Toronto police say 20 people have been arrested and more than 100 criminal charges laid following a months-long probe into a criminal network known as 'The Union' that allegedly used violence in an attempt to control the towing industry across the Greater Toronto Area.
Police say that a multi-jurisdictional investigation dubbed 'Project Yankee' first began in October, 2024 in the wake of a series of violent incidents linked to the industry and concluded last week with the execution of 14 search warrants and the arrest of nine of the suspects.
Police say that investigators believe the group is responsible for numerous acts of violence 'intended to gain control on the towing industry,' particularly in Scarborough and parts of Durham Region.
The investigation, police say, subsequently led to a wiretapping probe focused on members of 'The Union.'
'The information we have is that we are at the upper echelon with the group that was organizing and hiring the acts of violence and it is quite telling that none of them have criminal records or were before the courts because they are the higher level,' Chief Supt. Joe Matthews said during a news conference at police headquarters.
TPS
Toronto police Chief Supt. Joe Matthews speaks to reporters at a press conference on Wednesday June 18, 2025 (CP24 photo).
Two firearms and four vehicles were seized as part of the police investigation, including three Cadillacs that were 'armour plated.'
Matthews said that the seizure of armoured vehicle is 'extremely uncommon' and 'shows the level of sophistication' of the group.
At the press conference, Matthews also shared video footage with reporters showing two alleged arsons: one in Toronto involving a Molotov cocktail, and another in Whitby, Ont., where a vehicle was torched.
Both incidents were described as deliberate acts of intimidation targeting individuals in the towing sector.
'We are extremely confident that these arrests will have an impact on the violence in our city,' Matthews said.
The Project Yankee announcement comes just two days after Peel police revealed the results of a separate investigation that resulted in $4.2 million in seized assets, including 18 tow trucks, allegedly tied to organized crime.
Earlier this year, Toronto police also released surveillance video connected to a separate wave of arrests related to tow truck-linked shootings.
Despite the scope of the violence, Demkiw said overall firearm discharges in Toronto are down 44 per cent so far in 2025 compared to the same time last year.
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Joint forces investigation leads to dismantling of tow truck crime group Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, revealing details of Project Yankee that targeted onging tow truck turf wars in Toronto's part of a joint forces investigation that started in October 2024. Photo by JACK BOLAND / TORONTO SUN Toronto Police have arrested 20 people and laid 111 charges as part of Project Yankee, which included the use of wire taps and targeted a tow truck crime group that called themselves 'The Union.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Toronto Chief Myron Demkiw said Wednesday the arrests are the part of a joint forces investigation that is still ongoing and targeted the upper-echelon members of the group who were vying for control of lucrative tow-truck territory in Toronto. 'This includes homicides, shootings, arsons, intimidation and extortion,' Demkiw said at a news conference. Of the 111 charges laid, 52 counts are for conspiracy to commit murder. Demkiw said that in 2024, 63 firearm discharge and shooting incidents were linked to tow truck-related disputes. '(In 2024), they accounted for almost 13% of all shootings and firearms discharges here in Toronto,' Demkiw said. 'And in 2025 these incidents have continued to occur.' Demkiw spoke about many shootings and arson incidents in the city, including one in early March at a Scarborough pub on Progress Ave. north of the Scarborough Town Centre. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Demkiw added that court publication bans would not allow them to get into specific details of their investigation. However, he said numerous individuals arrested are 'related to directing and participating in the activities of a criminal organization.' 'And acts of violence on a mass scale were deterred and prevented,' Demkiw said. Two handguns were also recovered along with four vehicles — three which were armour-plated Cadillacs. Toronto Police Chief Supt. Joe Matthews speaks during Wednesday's news conference. JACK BOLAND/TORONTO SUN Chief Supt. Joe Matthews said the seizure of the armoured SUVs is extremely 'extremely uncommon' and 'shows the level of sophistication' of the group. 'We are at the upper echelon. We are with the group that was organizing and hiring the acts of violence,' Matthews said. 'And it is quite telling that none of them have criminal records or are before the courts. 'Because they are the higher unit.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Matthews said that police utilized specialized units to go after these kinds of individuals. 'And the way that we go after them is through wire-tap investigations. Where we get the conversations about the planning and organizing of these violent acts,' he said. None of the arrested are out on bail, Demkiw said. On Monday, Peel Regional Police also dismantled a tow-truck ring operating out of Brampton and Mississauga during Project Outsource that used extortion as its main motivator in the South Asian community. Project Outsource targeted two trucking companies — Humble and Certified Roadside — and included the arrests of 18 individuals. Seized were $4.2 million in luxury vehicles, including 18 tow trucks, as well as various weapons such as a crossbow, Taser, baseball bats and body armour. Some armour had a front patch identifier that read 'Police.' Cops also seized $45,000 in cash. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Peel Det.-Sgt. Brian Lorette, of the Extortion Investigative Task Force, said their investigation started with the extortion cases back in July 2024 and flourished, showing suspects had been staging dozens of vehicle collisions for insurance fraud purposes, plus intimidation and violence towards the South Asian business community back in 2023 and toward local tow truck operators in Peel. 'Our investigators identified a specific Brampton-based group believed to be behind a significant proportion of these crimes,' Lorette said. 'As well as offences in the towing industry.' During a news conference on Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford spoke about the tow-truck wars and Project Yankee and a task force set up by the OPP. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Isn't it shame because there are some really good, honest, hard-working tow truck drivers that are just trying to make a living,' Ford said. 'And then there are some really bad dudes, and they are just bad.' 'And if they start shooting up (the streets), they need to go to jail. They need to have their tow trucks confiscated,' Ford added. 'The company they are working for needs to be held accountable.' Read More 'Get it together. I've never seen anything like it,' the premier added. Those arrested as part of Project Yankee included: Abdalwahd El-Taii, 53, of Toronto; Jensikumar Joseph, 41, of Oshawa; Ahmad Faqiri, 31, of Bradford; Brandon Stock, 31, of Toronto; Farhad Zoghi-Lahmi, 41, of Richmond Hill; Talha Thanvi, 29, of Richmond Hill; Mauran Balasivam, 33, of Oshawa; Nirrosan Raviraj, 21, of Markham; Haider Eltaii, 37, of Vaughan; Alex Yizhak, 34, of Bradford; Ali Yakobi, 25, of Toronto; Igor Sayed, 23, of Toronto; Gokilan Balamurale, 24, of Markham; Anush Sathiyakumar, 19, of Toronto; Arussan Ravikumar, 21, of Markham; Sergei Manukian, 35, of Toronto; Brannan Balasegar, 23, of Toronto, and three 17-year-old male youths, including two from Toronto and one from Markham. 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