Montreal police target two suspects in stolen-vehicle export scheme

Containers are stacked at the Port of Montreal Friday, March 1, 2019 in Montreal. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press)

Montreal police say two men are suspected of taking part in a criminal network that steals vehicles in Quebec and ships them overseas.

One of the suspects, 18-year-old Yvan Jean Elie Adjouwmani, was arrested Wednesday in Ahuntsic–Cartierville.

Giovanni Santos Cabrera, 23, is still being sought and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

The investigation is being carried out by a specialized vehicle-theft team made up of members of the Montreal police and the RCMP, with support from the Canada Border Services Agency and anti-insurance crime group Équité Association.

Police say the investigation, which began recently, has already led to the seizure of five stolen vehicles -- nearly new pickup trucks and luxury SUVs -- that were destined for export overseas.

According to investigators, the scheme involved targeting a vehicle, stealing it, and then letting it “cool off” for several hours to ensure there was no active tracking device on it. The car would then be loaded into a shipping container and transported to the Port of Montreal.

Adjouwmani appeared in court on Wednesday and currently faces charges of motor-vehicle theft and possession of stolen property. Police, however, say more charges are expected.

Investigators have submitted additional evidence to Quebec’s director of criminal and penal prosecutions that could link him to nearly 50 vehicle thefts in the Montreal area dating back to July.

Police are asking anyone with information about Santos Cabrera’s whereabouts to call 911 or contact their local station. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Info-Crime Montréal at 514-393-1133 or through the online form on infocrimemontreal.ca.

“The work accomplished so far in this investigation is another demonstration that police forces and their partners will not hesitate to unite their efforts to fight vehicle theft and the criminal networks attempting to export them,” said Commander Pierre-Marc Houle, head of the SPVM’s South Region Project Investigations Section.

“This is a constant fight, and we are determined to continue working together to destabilize these networks.”

The investigation remains ongoing, and police say more arrests and seizures are possible.