A cargo bay full of stolen vehicles worth an estimated $2.6 million was seized by a joint police operation Monday.
Montreal police said 53 luxury pickup trucks and sports utility vehicles were recovered from the Port of Montreal.
The car theft ring was halted by an operation led by Canada Border Services Agency, alongside The Montreal Port Authority and the Equity Association.
The cars were destined to be shipped abroad in cargo shipping containers. The destination is still unknown police said.
The discovery comes less than a month after police reported seizing $800,000 worth of stolen vehicles in the Port.
Just this year alone, Montreal police say 252 vehicles have been seized.
The majority of the stolen cars, 76 per cent, are from Ontario, with the remaining 22 per cent from Quebec.
According to the Insurance Board of Canada, close to 10,000 vehicles were reported stolen last year in Montreal, up from the 6,527 reported in 2021.
Last year, Montreal police, in collaboration with its partners, seized 1,031 stolen vehicles from Montreal’s Port.
Nearly 45 per cent of these vehicles came from other Canadian provinces.
Authorities recommend drivers protect their vehicles by installing anti-theft devices.
Adding car tracking systems and putting electronic key fobs in safe locations when at home.