An Ontario Superior court judge has stayed corruption charges against six former Toronto drug squad officers, saying the Crown took too long to bring the case to trial.

Justice Ian Nordheimer ruled Thursday that "unreasonable" delays by prosecutors and the "glacial" pace at which the case moved forward violated the officers' Charter rights for a speedy trial.

Family of the accused erupted in joy after the ruling. In early 2004, charges were laid against Staff Sgt. John Schertzer and Constables Steven Correia, Ned Maodus, Joseph Miched, Richard Benoit and Raymond Pollard.

The officers were charged with extortion, obstruction of justice, assault, perjury and theft after an RCMP-led task force investigated alleged corruption by the now-defunct drug squad team. They had all pleaded not guilty.

The group was accused of falsifying notes, police records, testimony and failing to account for drugs and money seized from crime scenes dating back to the 1990s.

The probe was called the biggest corruption scandal in Canadian policing history.

Toronto Police Association president Dave Wilson said the officers, some of whom have since retired, are thrilled with the outcome.

"We're certainly pleased that this has happened," Wilson told CTV.ca. "To have them go through this experience for 10 years, living a daily hell, ... (the ruling will help) put this behind them."

Outside the courthouse, defence lawyer John Rosen added the officers "are saddened by the fact that they weren't able to face their accusers and be vindicated in the courtroom."

Former police chief William McCormack was among those who cheered the outcome.

"Justice delayed is definitely justice denied," McCormack said.

Prosecutors dropped more than 200 cases involving drug dealers after the team was charged.

After Thursday's development, Conservative Leader John Tory said he was not happy.

"It is absolutely a disgrace and it brings disrepute on the justice system to have charges of any kind thrown out in this way because of a delay occasioned by government inattention to the justice system," Tory told reporters.

The officers, however, are not fully exonerated. When charges are stayed, they are, in effect, deactivated, and the court doesn't declare innocence, CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney reported. The charges can be activated again and pursued within a year.

Attorney General Chris Bentley wouldn't comment on the case following the ruling, but said the ministry was reviewing the judge's decision.

"What I will say is that it's an important priority for me to build on what we've been doing in the last four years: to work with the criminal justice partners to make sure that cases get to trial through the courts as quickly and effectively as possible," he told The Canadian Press.

With a report from CTV Toronto's Austin Delaney