‘Cocaine eyes’ to cash bribes: 5 revelations from Project South wiretaps
Newly reportable police documents expose how investigators surveilled and wiretapped suspects for months
A police officer doing drugs before his shift, a trunk of police uniforms to sell, details on drug deals and plans to open massage parlours are some of the revelations Project South investigators allegedly captured through wiretaps as part of their sweeping corruption probe, according to newly reportable details from an Information to Obtain (ITO) application in the case.
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investigators → expose → case
A publication ban was lifted on those allegations, and many others, from the Project South ITO this week in a ruling from Ontario Superior Court Justice Laura Bird.
“The importance of public scrutiny in this case cannot be overstated.
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importance → lift → case
What is, perhaps, most concerning about the allegations of widespread police corruption in this case is the fact that the York Regional Police only stumbled upon it in the course of their investigation,” wrote Bird in her decision.
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Bird → stumble → decision
The investigation began in June 2025, when York Regional Police thwarted an alleged plot to kill a senior corrections official from Toronto South Detention Centre (TSDC).
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Police → begin → Centre
Subsequently, police discovered that Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt allegedly ran an unauthorized search on the official's licence plate less than a month before the attempted hit.
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Barnhardt → discover → hit
“There is no evidence that anyone was suspicious of Mr. Barnhardt or his associates until that moment," Bird wrote.
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Bird → be → moment
"That is something that should be of tremendous concern to the public because it demonstrates that a trusted public official can engage in widespread illegal conduct and go undetected.”
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official → demonstrate → conduct
CBC News was part of a group of media organizations fighting to lift a publication ban on the ITO — which lays out months' worth of evidence police had compiled from wiretaps and other warrants.
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police → fight → wiretaps
The allegations in the ITO have not been tested in court, but many of the conversations intercepted by investigators paint a picture of the corruption investigators allege Barnhardt and other Toronto police officers and civilians engaged in over several months in 2025 and early this year before their arrests.
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Barnhardt → test → arrests
These are five of the most shocking conversations police intercepted.
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police → intercept → conversations
In early October 2025, investigators intercepted Barnhardt buying cocaine from Const. Saurabjit Bedi in a Brampton, Ont., plaza, according to the ITO.
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investigators → intercept → ITO
Barnhardt’s vehicle was bugged with audio and video recording devices and investigators say the pair are “seen and heard weighing out the drugs and can be heard negotiating a price of $230 for Barnhardt to pay.”
Afterward, Bedi called Barnhardt and the following exchange was captured, according to the portions of transcript in the ITO.
Bedi asked Barnhardt if he “looked f--ked up when you saw me? … cuz I’m going to daycare now.”
Barnhard replied: “Just put your sunglasses on that’s all, you got … what do they call them … cocaine eyes.”
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they → bug → eyes
From there police say the pair discussed drug dosages.
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pair → say → dosages
In December 2025, the ITO said police also observed Bedi “consuming what appeared to be cocaine” in the parking lot of 12 Division before starting his shift.
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what → say → shift
Both Barnhardt and Bedi are charged with trafficking cocaine.
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Barnhardt → charge → cocaine
None of the charges against them have been tested in court yet.
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None → test → court
Barnhardt’s lawyer declined to comment on allegations from the ITO and Bedi’s did not respond to a request for comment.
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Bedi → decline → comment
‘All they want is protection’
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they → want → ?
Police intercepted Barnhardt and Bedi drinking and doing drugs in late November 2025 while discussing plans for a marijuana dispensary and a massage parlour, according to the ITO.
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Police → intercept → ITO
Bedi explained to Barnhardt that he has “girls,” and “all they want is protection and safety and we get their cuts.”
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we → explain → cuts
He also allegedly told Barnhardt it would be better to use hotels.
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it → tell → hotels
Investigators say Barnhardt then clarified to Bedi he was not talking about escorts, but rather massage parlours.
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he → say → escorts
Both men are charged with conspiracy to obstruct justice and breach of trust.
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men → charge → trust
In late October 2025, investigators intercepted a meeting between Barnhardt and civilian Brian Da Costa in Barnhardt’s vehicle.
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investigators → intercept → vehicle
Da Costa is the one who allegedly paid Barnhardt to “routinely” run unauthorized database searches, including the one on the senior corrections official.
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who → pay → official
But on this night, the ITO says Da Costa paid Barnhardt cash for police uniform items that Barnhardt had in his trunk.
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Barnhardt → say → trunk
This is a transcript of the conversation included in the ITO:
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This → include → ITO
Da Costa: "Oh s--t yeah my bad f--k; I forgot for a second what you were trying to hand me."
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you → forgot → me
Barnhardt: "I'm like what the f--k 36, 38, 40 are the pants, and the f--king NCO pants are in here too, there is like 1, 2 ,3 jackets....
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pants → be → ?
l got the other jacket I just gotta pick up with the toque and everything."
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I → get → toque
Da Costa: "I might qet a couple of bucks for this s--t and get more, okay?"
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I → qet → more
Barnhardt: "I’m gonna get you the hats and ball caps."
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I → go → hats
Da Costa: "We gotta go get the badges and s--t okay?"
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We → got → badges
Then, police said Da Costa was observed handing money to Barnhardt, while counting each bill aloud.
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Costa → say → bill
Both men are charged with trafficking police uniforms.
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men → charge → uniforms
Da Costa remains in custody.
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Costa → remain → custody
His lawyer declined a request for comment on the ITO allegations.
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lawyer → decline → allegations
Barnhardt jokes about visiting massage parlour daily
In early September 2025, Da Costa was intercepted asking Barnhardt if he wanted to partner with him opening a massage parlour, according to the ITO.
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he → joke → ITO
Barnhardt: "Oh f--k bro I’ve been trying to do that myself ...
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I → try → that
l just didn’t have the link for the women"
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l → have → women
…and 11 more, not listed.
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