Peel Regional Police say 78 vehicles have been recovered worth more than $10 million and four people have been charged with the theft, transport and export of stolen vehicles.
A three-month long investigation, dubbed Project R&R, focused on auto theft across the region, into Quebec and overseas.
“This investigation began with a high number of stolen Range Rovers but it quickly expanded to many other makes and models being recovered,” Det. Trevor Oldham told reporters at a press conference Tuesday morning.
Oldham said the suspects conducted the thefts during early morning hours and were allegedly able to remove GPS units in less than 10 minutes in some instances.
When asked where the vehicles were recovered, Oldham said most were found at various transport locations such as at railyards, temporary holding and shipping areas where they’d be loaded into shipping containers, and mostly en route to the Port of Montreal.
He said some were stopped at the Port of Montreal and other vehicles were intercepted at ports overseas in other countries. He listed the Middle East, specifically the United Arab Emirates, as one location where some vehicles were found during the investigation.
Police have charged four people in connection with the investigation.
Altayeb Brafcany, 29, is facing 15 counts of motor vehicle theft, possession of property obtained by crime, fraud under $5,000 and using a debit card not authorized.
Imad Assi, 29, is facing motor vehicle theft, possession of property obtained by crime and possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Ref’At Faris Mustafa Khatabeh, 44, is facing four counts of possession of property obtained by crime.
Michael Zureiqat, 48, is facing four counts of possession of property obtained by crime and failing to comply with a release order.
In addition to the charges, police said Canadian and U.S. cash was also seized as proceeds of crime, as well as cocaine, a stolen ramp used to load vehicles and a prohibited magazine.
“This is an epidemic in Ontario,” Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said.
“It must be said that Canada is now becoming known as the source country for exported stolen autos of which Ontario has the highest volume, from which the GTHA has the highest volume and here in Peel Region, from what we understand, has the highest per capita stolen auto rate,” Duraiappah said.
Duraiappah also noted that in the first two months of 2023, officers seized 500 stolen cars. In 2022, he said police recovered 2,400 stolen vehicles.