Canadian authorities stopped over 300 stolen luxury vehicles valued at around $25 million from being shipped abroad for illegal sales, police reported Wednesday morning in Mississauga. This follows a major auto theft investigation that started more than two years ago and resulted in 20 arrests.
During a news conference held at the International Centre, located near Toronto Pearson Airport, officers from the Ontario Provincial Police and Canada Border Services Agency informed reporters that organized crime was behind an elaborate network of SUV and luxury vehicle thefts. This network specifically targeted high-end cars in Ontario before trying to sell them internationally for “double their Canadian value.”
The intercepted 306 stolen luxury vehicles were destined for countries including the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, Lebanon, and several West African nations “where there is a strong demand for premium SUVs and luxury cars,” explained OPP Det. Insp. Scott Wade.
Wade added that police tracked these stolen vehicles and found them in shipping containers both “in transit” as well as at ports in Montreal, Vancouver, and Halifax-successfully stopping the vehicles before they could exit Canada.
20 individuals face 134 charges
The OPP stated that 20 people aged between 20 to 64 are facing a total of 134 charges related to involvement in a criminal organization, money laundering, fraud, and various theft-related crimes.
Among those charged are six individuals from Brampton, two from Mississauga, and three from Toronto. Other suspects hail from Oshawa, Milton, Oakville as well as other areas within the Greater Toronto Area/southern Ontario.
The accused include owners or operators of several registered businesses involved in freight forwarding along with individuals allegedly connected to vehicle theft throughout the province.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique states auto theft costs Canadians more than $1 billion annually in insurance claims.
Authorities mentioned their comprehensive investigation named Project Chickadee effectively dismantled this auto theft operation by targeting not just vehicle theft but also the illegal exportation of stolen cars through freight forwarding companies.
The investigation kicked off back in August 2023 when the OPP-led Provincial Auto Theft and Towing Team recovered four stolen cars within the GTA.
At that time, evidence pointed towards a “sophisticated criminal network” intent on illegally exporting stolen vehicles overseas.
This prompted collaboration between OPP and Canada Border Services Agency with assistance from RCMP regarding an “international component” of this rapidly expanding investigation.
The alleged crime group reportedly had an “international reach” with connections to transnational organized crime groups,” added the OPP.
As investigations progressed further actions were taken leading to four search warrants executed on October 16 across locations including Toronto, Vaughan, Woodbridge and Etobicoke. These searches resulted in officers seizing $30,000 Canadian cash along with one re-VIN’ed vehicle; two other vehicles classified as offence-related property; key programmers; various Ontario license plates; among other items.
A single person was arrested during this operation facing four auto theft-related charges while two others attempted to flee but were later captured by authorities.
On November 27th additional search warrants were carried out at numerous residential and industrial sites along with inspections on thirteen vehicles scattered throughout regions such as Brampton, Scarborough Waterloo Bolton Oshawa Oakville Mississauga Innisfil Toronto Milton according to OPP reports.
An extra search warrant was also executed during this time frame in Saint-Eustache Quebec region too.
Commissioner Carrique remarked during Wednesday’s press briefing indicating although progress has been made against organized car theft rings it remains an ongoing struggle faced by law enforcement agencies today!
Citing figures reflecting a spike observed recently: car theft incidents rose dramatically jumping from approximately seventeen thousand cases recorded statewide within Ontario back then (2020) increasing now exceeding thirty thousand occurrences observed presently (2023).
This surge amounts significantly affecting Canadians costing over one billion dollars each year due solely based off insurances resulting thereafter claimed respectively Carrique noted stating further how motivated purely by profit – organized crime perceives auto-theft activities posing lower risks yet higher returns consequently thus necessitating relentless pursuits undertaken continually aimed combating these offenses protecting communities impacted adversely caused chiefly arising alongside dangerous outcomes associated additionally stemming thereof here too!
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Among those charged are six individuals from Brampton, two from Mississauga, and three from Toronto. Other suspects hail from Oshawa, Milton, Oakville as well as other areas within the Greater Toronto Area/southern Ontario.
The accused include owners or operators of several registered businesses involved in freight forwarding along with individuals allegedly connected to vehicle theft throughout the province.
OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique states auto theft costs Canadians more than $1 billion annually in insurance claims.
Authorities mentioned their comprehensive investigation named Project Chickadee effectively dismantled this auto theft operation by targeting not just vehicle theft but also the illegal exportation of stolen cars through freight forwarding companies.
The investigation kicked off back in August 2023 when the OPP-led Provincial Auto Theft and Towing Team recovered four stolen cars within the GTA.
At that time, evidence pointed towards a “sophisticated criminal network” intent on illegally exporting stolen vehicles overseas.
This prompted collaboration between OPP and Canada Border Services Agency with assistance from RCMP regarding an “international component” of this rapidly expanding investigation.
The alleged crime group reportedly had an “international reach” with connections to transnational organized crime groups,” added the OPP.
As investigations progressed further actions were taken leading to four search warrants executed on October 16 across locations including Toronto, Vaughan, Woodbridge and Etobicoke. These searches resulted in officers seizing $30,000 Canadian cash along with one re-VIN’ed vehicle; two other vehicles classified as offence-related property; key programmers; various Ontario license plates; among other items.
A single person was arrested during this operation facing four auto theft-related charges while two others attempted to flee but were later captured by authorities.
On November 27th additional search warrants were carried out at numerous residential and industrial sites along with inspections on thirteen vehicles scattered throughout regions such as Brampton, Scarborough Waterloo Bolton Oshawa Oakville Mississauga Innisfil Toronto Milton according to OPP reports.
An extra search warrant was also executed during this time frame in Saint-Eustache Quebec region too.
Commissioner Carrique remarked during Wednesday’s press briefing indicating although progress has been made against organized car theft rings it remains an ongoing struggle faced by law enforcement agencies today!
Citing figures reflecting a spike observed recently: car theft incidents rose dramatically jumping from approximately seventeen thousand cases recorded statewide within Ontario back then (2020) increasing now exceeding thirty thousand occurrences observed presently (2023).
This surge amounts significantly affecting Canadians costing over one billion dollars each year due solely based off insurances resulting thereafter claimed respectively Carrique noted stating further how motivated purely by profit – organized crime perceives auto-theft activities posing lower risks yet higher returns consequently thus necessitating relentless pursuits undertaken continually aimed combating these offenses protecting communities impacted adversely caused chiefly arising alongside dangerous outcomes associated additionally stemming thereof here too!
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