Peel Police Bust ‘Prolific’ Auto Theft Ring, Lay 34 Charges Against Ontario Men

Stolen vehicles worth over $10 million destined for shipment overseas

Police tape is shown in a file photo. Carl Ballou/Shutterstock

Peel Regional Police say they have laid a combined total of 34 charges against four Ontario men in connection with what police called a “prolific auto theft ring.”

The arrests were announced on March 21 at a news conference at police headquarters, with an accompanying release indicating that police investigators had recovered 78 stolen vehicles worth over 10 million dollars.

The investigation, dubbed Project R&R, saw Peel police collaborate with numerous law enforcement agencies, officers from the Canada Border Services Agency, as well as partners from the Port of Montreal and Équité Association over a three-month period.

Police have charged four Ontario men with various counts of possession of property obtained by crime: six counts against Imad Assi, 29, of Mississauga; one count against Altayeb Brafcany, 28, also of Mississauga; four counts against Ref'At Faris Mustafa Khatabeh, 44, of North York; and four counts against Michael Zureiqat, 48, of Aurora, Ont.

Brafcany was additionally charged with 15 counts of theft of a motor vehicle, fraud under $5,000, and use of a debit card not authorized. Assi was additionally charged with theft of a motor vehicle, and possession for the purpose of trafficking. Zureiqat was charged with failing to comply with a release order.

Peel Regional Police announced on March 21, 2023, that charges have been laid against four men suspected to be part of an auto theft ring in Ontario. Peel Regional Police Handout

Police say they also seized a prohibited magazine, a quantity of cocaine, a stolen vehicle-loading ramp, and Canadian and U.S. currency as proceeds of crime.

“The results of Project R&R demonstrate that organized auto theft is a priority for Peel Regional Police. In addition to the nearly 2,400 stolen vehicles recovered in 2022, our officers have recovered over 500 vehicles in the first two months of this year,” said Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, at the news conference.

Duraiappah said that it would be an “understatement” to call auto theft an “epidemic nationally and in Ontario.” He said the police saw a significant increase in auto theft in 2022, which represented almost a 90 percent increase in thefts across the GTA.

Duraiappah said that the Peel region has the highest per capita auto theft rate in the country, and that Canada has become a known source country for organized auto crime.

High-End Vehicles Targeted

According to police, Project R&R was set up after a number of high-end vehicles, in particular, a significant number of Range Rovers, were stolen within the Peel and Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Police allege that the auto ring targeted specific vehicles at various locations including Pearson International Airport.

Police said they identified members of the ring who were actively stealing vehicles and then investigated the locations the vehicles were loaded and shipped. The stolen vehicles were being loaded and secured within containers and shipped by truck or train to the Port of Montreal to be exported overseas, police said.

“Over 25 containers were intercepted and held at various locations and ports including Brampton, Montreal, Germany, and Spain. Many stolen vehicles were destined for the United Arab Emirates,” according to Peel police.

Police recovered the vehicles at various transport locations including rail yards, or at temporary holding and shipping locations, as well as at the Port of Montreal. Some vehicles were intercepted at overseas ports as part of the investigation.

“Methods of theft including targeted underground parking garages and residential neighbourhoods at night while victims slept,” said the news release.

In some cases, thieves were able to remove GPS units from vehicles in less than 10 minutes, said Peel Police Detective Trevor Oldham, who spoke at the news conference.