Tuesday, March 13, 2018

Hamilton cop Craig Ruthowsky sold police info to drug dealers

The crown says Hamilton police officer Det. Const. Craig Ruthowsky spent months on a drug dealer's payroll, taking money in exchange for providing tips and advice that would help the dealer and his associates evade police detection and charges.

Ruthowsky has pleaded not guilty to charges of bribery, attempting to obstruct justice, trafficking cocaine, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy. The information Ruthowsky passed on to the drug dealer included the time and locations of pending search warrants, the identity of confidential informants, and covert investigative techniques used by police officers.
Ruthowsky was paid $20,000 a month in exchange for tips on police strategies. It made them "better, more effective drug traffickers." Ruthowsky was implicated on wiretaps as part of a Toronto police guns and gangs investigation dubbed Project Pharaoh.
Project Pharaoh was centered on drugs and firearms trafficking in the west end of Toronto.