Seven arrested, stolen vehicles found in Burlington by Toronto-led task forces

Ontario | Burlington | Halton | Crime | Police |

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Published March 27, 2024 at 3:15 pm

Burlington vehicle theft paranoid spectre

A pair of sting operations that helped recover 20 stolen vehicles from Burlington last year has led to several arrests.

Projects Spectre and Paranoid were both led by Toronto Police and saw drugs, weapons and stolen vehicles recovered, followed by the arrests of seven people.

In April 2023, the Toronto Police Integrated Gun and Gang Task Force – Firearms Enforcement Unit launched an investigation into a network of individuals involved in the trafficking of firearms and narcotics.

During Project Spectre, undercover officers successfully purchased six firearms and more than 200 grams of cocaine.

In August 2023, as a result of information obtained during Project Spectre, members of the force’s Organized Crime Investigative Support Unit began an investigation called Project Paranoid that focused on the trafficking, shipping and re-vinning of stolen vehicles.

Today it was announced seven people — all Toronto residents, according to police — were arrested and 150 charges laid as part of the investigations.

During Project Paranoid, 48 stolen vehicles were seized:

  • Twenty in a joint effort with Halton Regional Police at a shipper location in Burlington (estimated value $1 million)
  • Five purchased by undercover officers (estimated value $450,000)
  • Three located during the execution of search warrants (estimated value $300,000)
  • Twenty intercepted in Toronto and Montreal with the assistance of the Canada Border Services Agency (estimated value $2 million)

Several businesses in the Greater Toronto Area were also identified as locations where stolen motor vehicles were stored and sold prior to being shipped overseas, or being re-vinned and registered to be re-sold in Ontario.

“Project Paranoid demonstrates the resources that the Toronto Police Service is dedicating to tackling the auto theft epidemic – and the positive results of this work,” said Staff Supt. Pauline Gray. “It also demonstrates the importance of collaboration among stakeholders to address an issue that is impacting the safety and well-being of our communities.”

Those facing a variety of charges are Beka Suarishvili, 26, Sadyk Sadykov, 39, Igor Larionov, 30, Ali Eren Poyraz, 31, Vitaly Khalimov, 35, Intizar Gasimov 40, and Jose (Galio) Furtunato, 25.

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