A sophisticated criminal network accused of stealing high-end vehicles from the Greater Toronto Area and shipping them overseas has been dismantled following a major, multi-year police investigation.
Project Chickadee: A Two-Year Sting
The Ontario Provincial Police and Canada Border Services Agency announced the results of "Project Chickadee" on Wednesday, detailing a sweeping operation that led to 20 arrests and the recovery of more than 300 stolen vehicles with an estimated value of approximately $25 million.
Authorities revealed that the investigation, which began in August 2023, targeted an alleged organized crime group with international reach. The ring focused on luxury SUVs and other high-value vehicles, using fraudulent documentation and registered freight-forwarding companies to export them through Canadian ports.
Global Reach and Significant Seizures
Police allege the stolen vehicles were destined for markets in the Middle East and West Africa, including the United Arab Emirates, Syria, Iraq, Turkey, Egypt, and Lebanon. OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique stated the criminal organization had associations with transnational crime groups, selling Canadian vehicles abroad for double their value.
"This is organized crime on a global scale," Carrique said. "Today, we have sent a clear message: Ontario will not be a source for criminal profits."
The investigation's climax involved a series of coordinated raids. On November 27, police executed search warrants at 23 locations across the GTA and Southern Ontario, including Brampton, Scarborough, Mississauga, Oakville, and Oshawa, as well as one in Saint-Eustache, Quebec.
The seizures were substantial, including:
- 306 stolen vehicles recovered.
- Three firearms.
- Over $222,000 in combined Canadian and U.S. currency.
- Key programmers, diagnostic tools, and hundreds of key fobs.
- Two forklifts and two tractor-trailer cabs.
- Numerous electronic devices and fraudulent shipping documents.
Charges Laid Across the Criminal Chain
Detective-Inspector Scott Wade of the OPP emphasized that the operation disrupted the entire infrastructure enabling the thefts. "By disrupting the infrastructure that enabled stolen vehicles to move beyond our borders, we have significantly impacted organized crime’s ability to profit from these offences," Wade said.
The 20 individuals arrested now face a total of 134 criminal charges. Those charged range from alleged thieves to owners of freight-forwarding companies and their drivers, illustrating the network's complexity.
Notable among the accused are Muhammad Mirza, 52, of Milton, and Muhammad Malik, 29, of Oshawa, facing 20 and 19 charges respectively. Others charged include Amandeep Singh, 40, of Brampton, and Yahya Khan, 23, of Mississauga. The charges encompass organized crime, customs, and other related offences.
Of those arrested, nine were held for bail hearings, six remain in custody, and three have been released with conditions. Police confirm that Project Chickadee remains an active investigation.
Commissioner Carrique noted that while auto theft rates have seen a recent decrease, the crime continues to plague Canadian communities, resulting in about $1 billion in insurance claims annually. This successful joint force operation marks a significant blow to the sophisticated networks profiting from this costly crime.
