Over 70 stolen vehicles stated for export have been intercepted by authorities at the Port of Montreal.

In a news release about the November 13 operation, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) said it worked with the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM), the Montreal Port Authority, and Équité Association.

The vehicles recently intercepted in Montreal were valued at over $5.6 million, according to CBSA, with 54 originating from Ontario and 18 coming from Quebec.

All 72 of these stolen vehicles have now been handed over to the SPVM for further investigation and legal proceedings, the CBSA statement added.

Since the beginning of 2023, CBSA has intercepted a total of 1,038 stolen vehicles destined for export in Montreal. This averages to 24 stolen vehicles intercepted each week.

 “The Canada Border Services Agency works closely with police services, port authorities, insurance companies and insurance fraud and theft associations to ensure border security and counter stolen vehicle exportation,” said Annie Beauséjour, CBSA’s director general for the Quebec region.

Équité Association previously emphasized the importance of collaboration between government authorities, the insurance industry, and car manufacturers to address Canada’s auto theft crisis.

It also released its annual list of the top 10 most stolen vehicles in Canada as part of a broader initiative to inform consumers about how to protect themselves from the growing number of car thefts nationwide.

According to the anti-insurance crime organization, auto theft claims exceeded $1.2 billion in 2022.

“The auto theft problem in our country is only getting worse,” said Bryan Gast, VP of investigative services. “Organized crime continues to look to Canada as a source nation for stolen vehicles where the financial reward is high and the risk of prosecution is low.”

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