According to the Ontario Provincial Police, a 22-month investigation, dubbed Project MYRA, began in September 2020 after police uncovered a car theft ring that claims to be altering stolen vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to sell them.
Police say the thefts mostly happened in Ontario.
As a result of the investigation, police said they located 215 vehicles they say are worth more than $12 million.  About 37 percent of the vehicles found were Acuras or Hondas, according to investigators.
“A wide range of stolen vehicles have been recovered, including high quality vehicles,” OPP Deputy Commissioner Chuck Cox told reporters at a news conference Thursday.  “Some vehicles recovered by the investigation team have been linked to other criminal activities.”
In all, police said 28 people have been charged, including Service Ontario employees.
Police allege Service Ontario officers assisted with the “illegal registration of stolen vehicles.”  Officials did not say how many employees were involved.
Of the accused, 26 are from Ontario, while two are from Saskatchewan.
The suspects range in age from 27 to 59 and are mostly residents of the greater Toronto area, however some of the accused were also from Stoney Creek, Kitchener, Caledon, Bradford and Gravenhurst.
In total, just over 240 charges were filed.  Offenses vary and include using a forged document, dealing in property obtained by crime, fraud over $5,000, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and breach of trust.
Police said they executed a total of 44 search warrants throughout the investigation, resulting in the seizure of six firearms, 230 grams of suspected fentanyl, 1,840 grams of suspected cocaine, 77 kilograms of cannabis, 150 grams of suspected cannabis resin and 10 grams of suspected cannabis. psilocybin.
Investigators said they also seized $160,000 in cash as well as $8,400 in U.S. currency.  Two money counters and two laser marking machines were also found.
“This investigation did not focus on petty theft of vehicles.  The defendants have used these fraudulently registered vehicles to engage in criminal activity,” said OPP Det.  Insp.  said Andy Bradford.
Ontario Provincial Police said the joint investigation resulted in the dismantling of three criminal organizations allegedly involved in the fraudulent modification and sale of stolen vehicles.
The first was based in Peel Region and was responsible for changing VINs on vehicles stolen in Ontario and then reselling them, police said.
The second was based in Durham Region and Toronto, police said.  This network allegedly fraudulently registered stolen vehicles in Saskatchewan, transferred false vehicle documents to Ontario, registered the vehicles and resold them to various individuals.  Police say these vehicles were also sold to other criminal networks.
The rest of the gang was based in the York area and mainly dealt in high-end stolen vehicles, police said.
“By altering the VINs of these vehicles, these criminal organizations were able to fraudulently register the vehicles and take advantage of consumers who may have unknowingly purchased a stolen vehicle,” Cox said.  “Ontarians deserve peace of mind when it comes to making a purchase as large as a vehicle.”
“We want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be extremely careful when buying a used vehicle.  If any part of the transaction or anything leading up to the transaction looks suspicious, do not provide funds and contact law enforcement.”
Five of the accused remain in custody while the remaining 23 suspects are due to appear in court in July and August.


HUNDREDS OF STOLEN VEHICLES RECOVERED IN SHELLS 
Ontario police forces have warned they are seeing an uptick in vehicle thefts in recent months.  In addition to a series of violent car robberies, vehicle owners also saw their property removed from their roads overnight.
In January of this year, about two dozen people were charged with 300 combined offenses in connection with a “prolific car theft ring” in the greater Toronto area.  And in April, CTV News Toronto tracked down a vehicle stolen from Ontario overseas in a suburb of Lagos in Africa.
“Right now we’re seeing hundreds of vehicles stolen on a monthly basis, which is significantly higher than previous months,” Peel Regional Police Deputy Superintendent Nick Milinovich said.  “This is an issue and a concern that extends beyond our jurisdiction and our province.”
Milinovic said while about 200 vehicles have been recovered in Project MYRA, in Peel that number is almost 1,000 to date.  In total, the value of the vehicles is approximately $42 million.