$2.1M worth of allegedly stolen cars headed for Dubai seized by police
![Halton Regional Police emblem. A Halton Regional Police officer is in view. (Halton Regional Police Service/Facebook)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2022/9/9/halton-regional-police-emblem--1-6062102-1676580752980.jpg)
Police west of Toronto have seized 35 vehicles they say were stolen from across the Greater Toronto Area and packed in shipping containers headed for Dubai.
In a news release issued Thursday, Halton police said they made two arrests following an investigation into what they described as an “organized auto theft network.”
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Investigators said they began monitoring the suspects back in November, who they believe were trafficking the stolen vehicles out of a warehouse in Burlington, Ont.
Police said the vehicles were stolen from throughout the GTA and loaded onto shipping containers headed overseas.
At least 35 stolen vehicles have been recovered so far and include Dodge Rams, Toyota Highlanders, Jeep Cherokees and Range Rovers, police told CTV News Toronto in an email.
With an approximate value of $60,000 per car, police estimate the value of the intercepted vehicles totals $2.1 million.
As a result of their investigation, police said, Mississauga residents Suleiman Alhamarneh ,38, and Amro Alkiswani, 27, were arrested.
The pair is facing a combined 30 charges, including 14 counts each of trafficking of stolen property over $5,000, one count of possession of stolen property over $5,000, and possession of an automobile master key.
In announcing the arrests, police thanked the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) for their assistance in the investigation.
While car theft continues to be a problem across the GTA, Halton police said they will continue to apply “significant resources” to investigate incidents in the region.
In the meantime, the police force offered up a number of tips to help driver’s protect their vehicle from being stolen:
- Park your vehicle in a locked garage
- Block the exit of a potential target vehicle with a second vehicle parked behind it
- Install and on-board diagnostic blocker/protector
- Install a steering wheel lock device
- Install an aftermarket GPS tracking device
- Install home security cameras on the exterior of the residence
Police are asking anyone with information linked to the investigation to contact the Regional Auto Theft Task Force at 905-825-4777 ext. 3407 or Crime Stoppers.
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