The Ottawa police secretly wiretapped five of its Somali officers and their family members for months, never laid any charges, and refuses to tell them why, alleges a $2.5-million lawsuit filed by the officers.

In the suit against the Ottawa Police Services Board, filed last year and reported now for the first time exclusively by CBC, the officers allege they were subjected to racial discrimination.

The officers, some of whom have loose family connections to alleged criminals, say their relationships led to the illegal search and seizure of their most private communications. The officers allege the investigation left a lingering target on their backs, keeping them under a veil of suspicion by other officers.