Hamilton police officers helped accused mobster and drug trafficker Domenico Violi avoid prosecution, according to a 2002 confidential police intelligence report obtained by The Star.

Violi, 51, of Hamilton, was one of nine men charged last week in a sweeping police investigation into drug trafficking and money laundering after dawn raids in York Region, Niagara, Innisfil, Vancouver and Montreal.

The Halton Regional Police report calls a longstanding Hamilton police officer “a close, paid associate” of Violi.

The report’s “Introduction/ Synopsis,” based on a confidential source, reads: “Domenic VIOLI of Hamilton (son of Paolo Violi formerly of Montreal – deceased)” had “a number of serving Police Officers providing intelligence and assistance avoid prosecution for crimes committed.”

The report is dated July 24, 2002 and quotes a confidential source which the author said is close to Violi.

The Halton Police intelligence report states that a Hamilton police officer “has been providing information to TOC (traditional organized crime) and others since the late 80’s.”

Hamilton police would not comment on the documents.

“The documents are Halton Police documents and your inquiry is best directed to them,” Hamilton police spokesperson Jackie Penman said.

“We are looking into the validity of the documents and working with our counterparts to identify the source of this information,” Sgt. Dana Nicholas of Halton Regional Police said in an email.

Private investigator Derrick Snowdy provided The Star with copies of the intelligence report. He refused to comment on how he obtained it.

The report continues that a top member of the force “along with other subordinates were also closely tied with TOC (traditional organized crime) and have been since the early 80’s.”

The report states that one Hamilton police officer “is a close, paid associate of Domenic VIOLI of Hamilton .. heir apparent to the LUPPINO Crime group of Burlington.”

Violi was among alleged GTA organized crime members who were arrested Thursday in a sweeping investigation into the fentanyl trade after early morning raids across southwestern Ontario and New York, the RCMP said.

His younger brother Giuseppe (Joe) Violi, 47, turned himself in to police on Friday after being named on a Canada-wide warrant.

Both Violi brothers face charges for 75 offences including trafficking fentanyl, carfentanil, heroin, cocaine and methamphetamine, as well as weapons and contraband tobacco trafficking and bookmaking.

“I would expect it will have a significant impact over the short term,” RCMP Supt. Chris Leather said at a press conference on Friday.

The Violis are the grandsons of the late Giacomo Luppino of Hamilton, who was considered by police to be a founding member of the Crimine, a governing body for criminals in the ’Ndrangheta crime group and a longstanding associate of the Buffalo mob.

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Their father Paolo was a top figure in the Montreal underworld before his murder in 1978.

Leather said the Violi brothers are well-established with “an international reach.”

The FBI in New York City conducted what the RCMP called “a parallel, but separate investigation into La Cosa Nostra in that city, focusing on members of the Bonanno and Gambino families.”