Toronto police arrested 18 individuals allegedly linked to a West African criminal group trafficking stolen SUVs from Toronto overseas. 

The investigation dubbed Project CBG was led by Toronto Police Service. It began in April 2015 after a rash of car thefts in affluent neighbourhoods across North Toronto and the GTA. 

Toronto police worked with officers in York Region, Peel and Halton, as well as with the RCMP, CN Rail police, Canada Borders Service Agency, Insurance Bureau of Canada, FinTrack, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

As of Thursday morning more than 36 search warrants have been executed and 640 criminal charges laid against the individuals involved in the “sophisticated operation” allegedly conducted by the organized crime group Black Axe from Nigeria.

Police estimated approximately 500 SUVs ranging from $60,000 to $80,000 have been stolen from residential driveways in Toronto and other parts of the GTA.

“As this investigation progressed, it became apparent that this was more than just some petty thieves that were hot-wiring cars,” said Acting Deputy Chief Jim Ramer at a Dec. 11 press conference. 

Toronto Police Staff Inspector Mike Earl said the operation’s modus operandi included employees of the companies shipping the cars  who would steal spare keys or photograph VIN numbers and key codes. A Service Ontario employee was also arrested, who Earl said provided addresses to registered owners of vehicles after they were sold from the dealership. Also implicated was a locksmith, who allegedly cut blank keys for each vehicle, and thieves who would then locate the vehicles and use laptops to hack in and start the car before driving away.

Earl said one Toronto family's car was stolen and weeks later the thieves returned to also steal the replacement.

Eventually, the stolen vehicles were shipped overseas to Africa via ports in Montreal and Halifax.  

The total value of the cars stolen by the group totals roughly $30 million. 

Approximately 200 vehicles were recovered by police, primarily from shipping containers destined for Africa, valued at $11 million. 

Additional property recovered included stolen car parts, digital equipment including laptop computers used to program key codes, two tractor trailers, a locksmith van and a fully operational chop shop in the west end of Toronto. Cocaine, heroin and illegal firearms were also recovered.