Toronto police say 59 suspects are facing a total of 300 charges in connection with an auto theft and re-vinning probe.
The results of the investigation, dubbed Project Thoroughbred, were announced at a news conference in Toronto on Friday morning.
Police say the investigation was launched in July and has led to the recovery of 363 stolen vehicles, valued at approximately $14 million.
Investigators noted that officers uncovered an alleged “scheme” that involved ServiceOntario employees registering phony Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) to legitimate licence plates.
According to police, ServiceOntario employees allegedly used fake documents to register real Ontario licence plates to fake VINs. The vehicles, police said, were then sold as “legitimate, properly plated” vehicles. Police noted that there are no ServiceOntario employees among the 59 people who have been charged as part of the investigation to date.
As part of the probe, police said, officers identified a number of “chop shops” in the city where stolen vehicles were taken to be dismantled and shipped overseas.
“Vehicles brought into these facilities are quickly dismantled, making them difficult to trace and reducing the chance of detection,” Toronto police said in a news release.
Stolen vehicles were also recovered from shipping containers that were destined for overseas locations, police said. One shipping container housing stolen vehicles was found in Belgium and police said they are in the process of bringing those cars back to Canada.
The arrests come on the heels of an announcement by the provincial government about further plans to crack down on auto theft. On Friday, the province announced new legislation that, if passed, would create a new provincial offence for fraudulent vehicle registrations, an offence that could lead to jail time and penalties of up to $100,000 if convicted.
“VIN fraud and careless driving are on the rise in Ontario,” Prabmeet Sarkaria, Ontario’s minister of Transportation, said in a news release issued Friday.
“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 Project Thoroughbred, which was funded in part by the Ontario government’s ministry of the solicitor general, is an ongoing investigation and more charges are anticipated.