A childhood friend emailed to say the wildfire that has consumed Lytton, B.C. has burned down my childhood home. The Lytton of my memories is an idyllic place, where I was free to roam without fear.

Police say 59 vehicles illegally towed and/ or seized. That’s latest chapter in ongoing saga of GTA tow truck criminality, that includes murder, arson and corruption allegations.

The Wolfpack, my new book with Luis Najera, can be pre-ordered here from Chapters at a 30% discount until Sunday, July 4:

A drug networking was using transport trucks with secret, X-ray proof compartments, to funnel massive amounts of illegal drugs north from Mexico. The gang was multi-ethnic and operated coast-to-coast, police say as they announced what they call the largest illegal drug bust in Toronto police history.

Was Carmine Lapello murdered a century ago in Toronto for informing on top bootleggers, Rocco Perri and Bessie Starkman? An ancestor mines archives for answers in dusty cold case.

Giuseppe (Pino) Ursino, 68, loses appeal after parole denied in his 11 1/2 year prison term on cocaine conspiracy conviction. The Bradford grandfather claims to be confused about COVID-19 testing and misunderstood by the courts. Court heard he was a senior ‘Ndrangheta boss in the GTA.

Borja Vilalta-Castellanos of Mississauga was arrested in 2014 and convicted for being a maanager of Sinaloa cartel operations in southern Ontario. He has been granted full parole.

George Jung was the basis for the character played by Johnny Depp in the movie “Blow.” Jung used Toronto to meet with a cartel kingpin in the 1970s to restructure world cocaine trade.

Alberto Agueci dared to stand up to Buffalo mob boss Stefano Magaddino during French Connection heroin smuggling case. It ended horrifically.

Paolo Violi was skinny and unknown back in May 1955, when he was charged with shooting Natale Brigante to death. A little over two decades later, Violi was widely regarded as Canada’s top mobster. Then a killer came for him too.