Full video of Rob Ford smoking crack finally released

  • 12/08/2016
Late former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack in a mobile phone video
Late former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smoking crack in a mobile phone video

Late former Toronto Mayor Rob Ford smokes crack cocaine and mumbles expletives in a video that has just been released to the public for the first time.

The footage was published online after a Canadian court lifted a ban on it.

The clip lasts for over a minute, and features Ford holding a glass pipe and lighter, inhaling smoke and rambling to his friend Elena Basso, who was previously convicted of drug trafficking.

Ford's speech is slurred, but he seems to be unhappy with being labelled "right-wing" and "radical", as Basso slams Justin Trudeau, Canada's current Prime Minister.

Just before the video stops, Ford appears to notice the camera recording him and says he doesn't know if it's recording, to which Basso responds "no" and an unknown man says "hold on".

Reports of the video emerged in 2013, prompting Ford to deny its existence. Police later seized it in a raid during a drugs and gang investigation, which forced an admission and apology from Ford.

It was used in court as evidence against Ford's friend and former driver Alexander Lisi, who faced charges of extortion over his efforts to retrieve the cellphone video.

On Thursday (local time), the court agreed to drop the charge against Lisi, which allowed for the video to finally be released to the public.

Ford attended a rehab facility over his drug and alcohol problems, and he was never charged over the video.

He died of cancer in 2014.

Newshub.