Image courtesy of the York Regional Police, Auto Cargo Theft Unit.
Ottawa, Ontario — An outgoing shipment of stolen vehicles is on the way back home to their owners, with 64 vehicles valued at $3.5 million being repatriated with the assistance of the Canada Border Service Agency (CBSA) and the Malta Port Authority.
According to the York Regional Police’s Auto Cargo Theft Unit, the vehicles were located inside shipping containers in the Republic of Malta ready for illegal sale.
This successful rescue can be attributed to the York Regional Police’s “Project Majestic,” an investigation into a criminal syndicate responsible for high-end vehicle thefts from residential driveways across the Greater Toronto Area.
Suspects entered the vehicle and reprogrammed the ignition computers with new keys, transporting them to the Port of Montreal before delivering the vehicles by sea to buyers in the United Arab Emirates and Africa.
Under “Project Majestic,” A total of 18 people were arrested on March 2021, following an investigation into a Greater Toronto Area-based auto theft ring. Additionally, 70 stolen vehicles valued at $4.5 million were seized.
For the original press release, click here.
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