Halton Police have released the first details of a major, ongoing auto theft investigation happening locally.
Called Project Ninja, police say the investigation has led to the arrest of four suspects and are seeking four more. Project Ninja was launched in May 2024 after police said they recovered a stolen Toyota Tundra from Hamilton in a residential area in Burlington.
Following the recovery of the Toyota Tundra, a suspect vehicle was identified and located in what was believed to be a rental residence in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).
Following several months of investigation, suspects were identified along with additional suspect vehicles. These details were first revealed during a press conference at the Halton Police headquarters in Oakville this morning, Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024.
Police say that an organized group of auto thieves, identified as Algerian nationals, had been operating within the Halton region and across the GTA.
The Algerian nationals are alleged to have travelled to Canada, and once in the country, stayed in short-term rental accommodations. The suspects are said to have initially resided in Québec but relocated to the GTA.
While at these locations, police say the suspects committed reprogramming thefts and stole vehicles over the course of several days before going back to Québec.
Three weeks ago on Aug. 24, 2024, police arrested three suspects in connection to this investigation.
A criminal code search warrant was later executed at a short-term rental in Oshawa where police say additional evidence was located and seized, including a large Toy Hauler RV, which had been hollowed out for vehicles to be loaded on.
Police say the RV was used to conceal and transport the stolen vehicles.
Primarily targeted vehicles included newer model, high-end vehicles, such as Toyota Tundra and Lexus RX 350 SUVs that were parked overnight in private driveways.
"To gain access to the vehicles, the group would damage the rear passenger windows and then reprogram blank key fobs to steal them," said Halton Police Detective Phil Vandenbeukel.
Detective Vandenbeukel also said the group was observed transporting the vehicles to the port of Montreal in many different ways, including loading them onto sea containers, and on several occasions, loading them onto the Toy Hauler RV.
Police say they observed a stolen vehicle being loaded in the back of the Toy Hauler RV on the evening of July 24, 2024, outside of an industrial complex in Scarborough.
With assistance from the Ontario Provincial Police, a traffic stop was initiated and the driver was arrested.
Police say their information suggests that the group has been active since at least January of 2024. In that time, police say at least 40 vehicles have been transported to Dubai and Morocco and 12 have been recovered. In total, the stolen vehicles have a combined value of over $3 million.
"Make no mistake, as long as the financial rewards outweigh the risk of getting caught, these crimes will continue," said Deputy Chief Jeff Hill.
"Today's announcement is not the first, nor will it be the last. The Halton Regional Police Service remains firmly committed to combatting this priority issue at all levels, and we will continue to do everything in our power to identify, capture, and bring those responsible for these crimes to justice."
Of the four suspects arrested, police say one has already been released on bail and the other three are currently in custody and will have their bail hearing today, on Sept. 11, 2024.
Police say the following individuals have been arrested and charged:
Amine Garti (23), of Montréal, Québec:
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle (5 Counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000 (4 Counts)
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Trafficking Stolen Property - Over $5000
Garti has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Badr-Eddine Draoui (23), of Montréal, Québec:
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle (3 Counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000 (4 Counts)
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Trafficking Stolen Property – Over $5000 (2 Counts)
- Fail to Comply with Release Order (2 Counts)
Draoui has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Ramy Bitout (23), of Montréal, Québec:
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000
Bitout has been held in custody pending a bail hearing.
Olivier Paquette (35), of Saint-Jérôme, Québec was arrested by the OPP on July 24, 2024 and is currently wanted by the Halton Regional Police Service on the following charges:
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000 (2 Counts)
- Trafficking Stolen Property – Over $5000 (2 Counts)
Canada-wide arrest warrants have also been issued for the following suspects:
Youli-Wass Aidali (22), of Le Goulet, New Brunswick:
- Conspiracy to Commit and Indictable Offence
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000
Yasser Hassani (23), of Montréal, Québec:
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle (6 Counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000 (5 Counts)
- Trafficking Stolen Property – Over $5000
Faycal Kessaci (23):
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle (2 Counts)
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000 (2 Counts)
Yacine Mamache (24), of Montréal, Québec:
- Conspiracy to Commit an Indictable Offence
- Theft of a Motor Vehicle
- Possession of Property Obtained by Crime – Over $5000
- Trafficking in Stolen Property – Over $5000
Anyone with information that may assist in the location and arrest of these individuals, or regarding this investigation is asked to contact investigators at 905-825-4747 ext. 7006.
Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers. "See something? Hear something? Know something? Contact Crime Stoppers" at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the web at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story indicated the total value of the 12 vehicles recovered is $3 million, while police estimate that is the total value of the approximately 40 vehicles stolen.