Police busted a major auto theft and trafficking ring in Toronto arresting 59 suspects who face a total of 200 charges.
The bust was the result of a months-long investigation dubbed “Project Thoroughbred.” The operation was first launched in July and resulted in the recovery of 363 stolen vehicles, valued at around $14 million.
Investigators discovered that the alleged scheme involved ServiceOntario employees who would assist the thieves in registering phoney Vehicle Identification Numbers to legitimate licence plates.
The compromised employees would allegedly use fake documentation to register real Ontario licence plates to fake VINs according to Toronto police.
The vehicles would subsequently be sold as “legitimate, properly plated” vehicles.
However, police noted that there are currently no ServiceOntario employees included in the 59 people who have been charged as part of the investigation.
Through the work of Project Thoroughbred, officers identified several “chop shops” in Toronto where stolen vehicles would be stripped down before being shipped overseas.
“Vehicles brought into these facilities are quickly dismantled, making them difficult to trace and reducing the chance of detection,” said Toronto police in a news release on Friday.
Additional stolen vehicles were retrieved from shipping containers bound for overseas locations, with one shipping container holding stolen vehicles discovered in Belgium.
Police confirmed that said vehicles are in the process of being returned to Canada.
The Ford government also announced new legislation on Friday to crack down on auto theft. If passed, it would create a new provincial offence for fraudulent vehicle registrations which carries with it potential jail time and penalties of up to $100,000 if convicted.
“VIN fraud and careless driving are on the rise in Ontario,” said the province’s Minister of Transportation Prabmeet Sarkaria in a news release.
“That’s why our government is taking steps to protect unsuspecting buyers and giving police the powers they need to keep our roads and communities safe. Our tough new legislation will target car thieves and other reckless behaviour, particularly in instances causing bodily harm or death.”
Police said that Project Thoroughbred remains ongoing and that they expect further charges in the future.
