In a groundbreaking investigation, Peel Regional Police have dismantled an organized crime group responsible for the theft of 369 vehicles, valued at approximately $33 million, operating out of Brampton and Mississauga. Dubbed Project Odyssey, this operation marks Peel’s most significant auto theft investigation to date.
Announcing the results at a press conference today, Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah revealed that 16 individuals have been charged, and warrants have been issued for 10 more suspects. The investigation has been ongoing since October 2023, focusing on a sophisticated crime group involved in stealing vehicles from the Greater Toronto Area, transporting them to the Port of Montreal, and shipping them overseas to the United Arab Emirates and the Port of Oman.
Chief Duraiappah highlighted the involvement of a local trucking company and a family responsible for loading the stolen vehicles. “This is a highly orchestrated criminal operation where several individuals were responsible for stealing the vehicles through various methods, including violent carjackings and other techniques, with the intention of shipping them overseas,” he stated.
Details of the Investigation:
- Initial Report: Project Odyssey began with a report of stolen vehicles in a shipping area at Highway 50 and Fogal Road in Brampton. Police recovered a 2024 Jeep Wrangler and a 2023 Chevrolet Suburban.
- Further Developments: In December 2023, police intercepted a transport truck in Mississauga loaded with a stolen BMW valued at $110,000 and a 2023 Ford F150 valued at $86,000. This led to the identification of the trucking company and the family involved.
- Port of Montreal Operation: Investigators, with the assistance of the Port Authority and Canada Border Services Agency, opened 37 shipping containers at the Port of Montreal, recovering 369 vehicles and seizing three transport trucks and two stolen Bobcats.
Detective Greg O’Connor emphasized the complicity of the trucking company in the operation. “Based on the evidence, we believe the trucking company owners, workers, and operators were fully aware and complicit in the shipping of these stolen vehicles,” he said. Numerous stolen vehicle loading locations were identified throughout the Region of Peel.
To date, police have identified 26 suspects, resulting in 322 auto-related charges against 16 individuals. Warrants have been issued for 10 additional suspects, with a total of 340 charges expected.