Canadian police bust ‘highly orchestrated’ stolen vehicle ring

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – Police in Canada’s Peel Region announced Monday that they arrested 16 suspects and during a seven-month investigation recovered 369 vehicles worth CAN$33.2 million (US$24.35 million).

They also issued arrest warrants for 10 other suspects and laid 322 criminal charges.

Police said that included in the vehicle haul were 255 vehicles from the Peel Region and 114 at the Port of Montreal destined for shipment overseas to ports in the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

Peel Regional Police called it the most significant auto theft investigation to date and behind it was a "highly orchestrated criminal organization," CTV News reported.

“Over the last 18 months, we have arrested close to 200 individuals, laid approximately 1,600 auto theft related offence charges and recovered close to $100,000,000 in stolen vehicles,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah in a news release.

Of the 137 countries in Interpol’s database, Canada ranks among the top 10 for stolen vehicles, the international law agency said in a release last week, reported CTV News.

Since February, the agency said more than 200 stolen vehicles from Canada have been recovered every seven days around the globe, CTV News reported.

Interpol said thieves are lured to Canada because it has large numbers of sought-after vehicles such as SUVs and crossovers. They are shipped to the Middle East and West Africa for sale or trade.

In 2022, the insurance industry in Canada sustained $1.2 billion in losses from auto theft, according to the Canadian Underwriter (insurance group).

It said the top stolen car in 2022 was the Honda CR-V crossover, while in second spot was the Dodge RAM 1500 Series half-ton truck.