Aurora (Jan 22) – Investigators with the York police have recovered 52 stolen vehicles with a value of more than $3.2 million with the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency and Équité Association.
Between October 2023 and January 2024, an investigation dubbed Project Mamba uncovered a group of criminals using residential areas to store vehicles that had recently been stolen out of York Region and other parts of the Greater Toronto Area and southwestern Ontario. The prolific crime group was targeting high-end vehicles and trafficking them with planned destinations as far away as Azerbaijan and Georgia, police said in a news release.
In December 2023 and January 2024, six search warrants were executed at locations across Ontario, including in the municipalities of Vaughan, Toronto, London, Cambridge and Bradford. As a result, 52 stolen vehicles were recovered, with an estimated value of $3.2 million.
In total, 11 people have been charged with 96 criminal offences, including Theft of Motor Vehicle, Traffic in Property Obtained by Crime, Possession of Property Obtained by Crime, Possession of Automobile Master Key and Possession of Break-in Instruments.
The investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the York Regional Police Auto Cargo Theft Unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6651, or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online at www.1800222tips.com.
