Posted on 06/07/2026 2:14:54 PM PDT by jerod
Police in Durham Region, Ont., say they’ve uncovered a network of what they’re describing as criminal tourists who enter Canada legally to commit crime for financial gain.
Investigators unveiled the results of “Project Jetsetter” on Friday, saying they’ve connected more than 200 incidents to the organized criminal network and confirmed more than $2.6 million in financial losses.
So far, 46 individuals have been arrested and are facing a combined 1,442 criminal charges. At least 164 arrest warrants have been issued for individuals currently wanted by police.
Through the investigation, Chief Peter Moreira said police uncovered what he called “concerning patterns” of structured, repeatable, and deliberate criminal offences, including large-scale retail thefts, vehicle and financing fraud, staged collisions, distraction-style thefts, and exportation of vehicles and goods.
Det. Brad Chapman explained that the “majority” of the people they’ve identified as suspects are from Romania, while a smaller portion is from India.
“So they travel quite frequently from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, they come here, they commit the criminal offences, and a lot of times they leave the country before we can identify who they are,” Chapman said, adding that “Project Jetsetter” is the culmination of multiple investigations spanning from 2019 to 2026.
The ‘dirty oil’ scam Chapman said that among the “repeated” offences being carried out by the group is something called the “dirty oil” scam, which CTV News has previously reported on.
He explained that suspects will contact individuals who are selling their vehicle and then deliberately damage the vehicle during the test drive or showing to negotiate a lower price.
In January, a couple from Paris, Ont., reported that they had been victims of the scam while trying to sell their 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe for $7,000.
Video surveillance from that incident revealed that one of the buyers had placed some type of liquid in the tailpipe, which caused it to smoke. Believing the engine had blown, the couple agreed to sell the car for $1,000...
Police believe bust is ‘just the tip of the iceberg’
Police displayed pictures of 79 of the suspects they’re currently looking for, but noted that images of the remaining wanted 85 suspects are not available.
Moreira said that “further complicates” their investigation.
“People are exploiting and know our systems very, very well before they come and engage in this activity,” he said. “These organized groups are putting a ton of research into how to work through all of these gaps that exist, and they’re exploiting it and they’re being quite effective at it, and this is what’s adding to the complexity of investigating this.”
He then pointed the finger at the federal government, saying Canada doesn’t have a “robust” enough system to track who is leaving the country and said that the existing sentences for these crimes aren’t enough of a deterrent.
“When you think about the cumulative impact that this crime has, not just in terms of financial losses, but the loss in independence of some of our most vulnerable citizens. You know, it’s really despicable what’s left at the end of it, right? The damage that is done. And this is why we take this seriously, even if perhaps the sentences don’t reflect it.”
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DIVERSITY IS CANADA’S STRENGTH.
“Believing the engine had blown, the couple agreed to sell the car for $1,000...“
I don’t think I know anyone who’d fall for that one.
British joke:
Visit Albania, your car is already here.
“Police displayed pictures of 79 of the suspects they’re currently looking for, but noted that images of the remaining wanted 85 suspects are not available.”
The Canadians should have passport information. They should be able to get photos from the passport country.
I think my passport is normally scanned and the image retained. That’s what I remember about passing through the Amsterdam airport.
The Canadians might be able to get passport photos from the UK, France or Netherlands.
They look like Gypsies or Albanians — “the N-words of Europe.”
So if they just commit crime as a hobby, everything is copascetic?
Can any crime be higher than euthanasia as health care?
Yes, abortion.
LOLOL!!!
So recently I have seen a GREAT number of vans pulling two vehicles or a goose-necked trailer with three cars- one had a car, boat and truck- heading south to Mexico. Literally I cannot drive to town (10 miles) without seeing one go by. They usually have two or more sets. This is on Hwy. 77 south near Schulenburg, TX. For years we have seen one tow vehicle caravans headed south but lately it’s multiple vehicles and many of them look nice and not wrecked.
“..what they’re describing as criminal tourists who enter Canada legally to commit crime for financial gain..”
Well, hhrrrmph...then lets pass more gun restrictions on law abiding Canadians.
Look like sanctuary cities democrat voters.
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