December 17,2025
RED FM News Desk
Ontario law enforcement agencies have dismantled a large, internationally connected auto theft criminal organization, recovering 306 stolen vehicles valued at approximately $25 million as part of a sweeping investigation known as Project CHICKADEE.
The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)-led Provincial Auto Theft and Towing (PATT) Team, in collaboration with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), announced that the investigation targeted not only vehicle thefts across Ontario but also the illegal exportation of stolen vehicles through freight forwarding companies to foreign markets, including the Middle East and West Africa.
Project CHICKADEE began in August 2023, after OPP investigators recovered four stolen vehicles in the Greater Toronto Area. Evidence quickly pointed to the involvement of registered freight forwarding businesses using fraudulent documentation to ship stolen vehicles overseas. Investigators later determined the network had international reach and links to transnational organized crime groups.
Authorities inspected shipping containers at major ports in Montréal, Vancouver, and Halifax to intercept stolen vehicles before export.
Search warrants were first executed on October 16, 2025, in Toronto, Vaughan, Woodbridge, and Etobicoke, resulting in the seizure of cash, vehicles, licence plates, and auto theft tools. One individual was arrested at that time, while two others fled and were later apprehended.
A second major enforcement action took place on November 27, 2025, with search warrants executed at 23 residential and industrial locations and 13 vehicles across the GTA and surrounding areas, including Brampton, Scarborough, Oshawa, Mississauga, Oakville, Milton, Waterloo, and Innisfil, as well as one location in Saint-Eustache, Quebec.
In total, police seized or recovered:
- 306 stolen vehicles
- Three firearms
- Large quantities of licence plates, key fobs, and vehicle keys
- Vehicle shipping documents and diagnostic equipment
- Two forklifts and two tractor-trailer cabs
- Over $190,000 CAD and $32,000 USD
- Electronic devices including cell phones, laptops, and hard drives
As a result of the investigation, 20 individuals have been arrested and charged with 134 offences under the Criminal Code, Customs Act, and Cannabis Act. Some of the accused are owners or operators of freight forwarding businesses allegedly used to facilitate the export of stolen vehicles.
A comprehensive breakdown of the accused individuals and the charges they face is available here.
The investigation involved joint efforts from the OPP PATT Team, OPP Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB), and CBSA’s Intelligence and Investigations Operations Division (IIOD). Support was also provided by the RCMP, Équité Association, and multiple municipal police services.FINTRAC provided critical financial intelligence, while the OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit is now pursuing proceeds of crime investigations and related property seizures.
Anyone with information related to auto theft or this investigation is urged to contact the OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477 or ontariocrimestoppers.ca.
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