Toronto, Ontario — Investigators with the York Regional Police Financial Crimes unit, working in conjunction with the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) and Italian National Police have recovered more than 40 vehicles stolen from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Through a collaborative effort, York Regional Police, CBSA and the Italian National Police seized 30 crime vehicles in the ports of Italy, while the CBSA was able to seize 10 vehicles before they could be exported from Canada.
The 30 vehicles seized in Italy have a total value of approximately $1.5 million, and the 10 vehicles seized in a York Regional Police search warrant were valued at approximately $300,000.
Members of the CBSA contacted the York Regional Police in April 2020, after flagging the export of a 2018 Audi Q7 as the same vehicle involved in an ongoing auto finance investigation.
Investigators then discovered a number of other vehicles involved, many of which were destined for overseas.
On June 10, the York Regional Police executed a search warrant at RS Royal Services in Toronto, where they recovered evidence relating to an ongoing auto finance fraud investigation, and further vehicles prepared to export.
These exports were also flagged and investigators contacted authorities in Italy where shipping containers carrying the vehicles were on stopovers at two Italian ports. The final destination for the vehicles was supposed to be Libya or Turkey.
York Regional Police are working with CBSA officers and the Italian National Police to ensure the vehicles are returned to their lawful owners in Canada.
