Major Vehicle Export Network Dismantled
20 individuals charged in $25 million international car theft operation
The investigation, which began in August 2023, exposed a transnational criminal organization that utilized registered freight forwarding businesses and fraudulent documentation to ship stolen high-end vehicles from the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) to lucrative black markets in the Middle East and West Africa.
The Network Exposed
The 20 individuals arrested range in age from 20 to 64 and primarily reside within the GTA and surrounding regions. According to investigators, the accused were not a single cohesive street gang but a collection of specialized cells—including thieves, “re-vinners,” and business operators—who collaborated to facilitate the global supply chain of stolen property.
Individuals Charged in Project Chickadee
The following individuals have been charged:
Significant Charges and Judicial Release
The group faces a combined 134 criminal offences, including:
Despite the gravity of the charges and the $25-million valuation of the 306 recovered vehicles, reports today confirm that 14 of the 20 suspects have already been released on bail pending trial. OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique noted that two of those arrested were already under prior judicial release orders for similar offences at the time of their capture, highlighting ongoing challenges within the provincial bail system.
Seizures and Logistics
Coordinated raids at 23 residential and industrial locations across Ontario and one site in Saint-Eustache, Quebec, resulted in the seizure of three firearms, $222,000 in mixed currency, dozens of key fobs, and heavy logistics equipment, including forklifts and tractor-trailer cabs used to move containers to the ports.
The six remaining suspects who were not granted bail continue to be held in custody. The investigation remains active as authorities work with international partners in Syria, Iraq, Egypt, and Lebanon to identify the final recipients of the illicit cargo.
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