The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced Tuesday that it recovered 392 stolen vehicles valued at an estimated $28 million through a yearlong anti-fraud pilot known as Project NoCargo. Authorities intercepted the vehicles before they could be exported overseas from Canadian ports, with recoveries taking place in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver — Canada's principal Atlantic and Pacific seaport cities and its largest inland rail-cargo hub.

Project NoCargo launched in June 2025 after investigators identified a growing export-fraud threat. The initiative targets organized crime networks that use stolen or manufactured identities to secure vehicle loans and insurance policies. Criminals then attempt to ship the fraudulently obtained vehicles abroad, where recovery becomes difficult once they clear Canadian customs.

The RCMP collaborated with INTERPOL Ottawa, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), FINTRAC — Canada's financial intelligence unit, which analyzes suspicious transaction reports — and Canadian financial institutions on the operation. Border officers referred cases carrying potential financial-fraud risks to RCMP investigators, who reviewed the referrals for criminal activity. CBSA officers then intercepted confirmed vehicles prior to export.

Fraud begins before vehicles reach ports

INTERPOL Ottawa identified the trend during 2025, according to the RCMP. Criminal networks used compromised or fabricated personal information both to purchase vehicles and to obtain insurance coverage. The RCMP linked the broader rise in vehicle-finance fraud to an estimated $900 million in insurance losses last year, costs that ultimately affect Canadian policyholders.

A central focus of Project NoCargo was identifying vehicles quickly enough to prevent shipment. The pilot relied on information sharing among financial institutions, police, and border officials, enabling partners to connect suspected fraud cases with export activity. This pre-export interception approach gives law enforcement a narrow window between fraud detection and a vehicle's departure to act. Officials did not identify individual suspects or announce criminal charges in Tuesday's release.

RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme called the pilot a model of coordinated enforcement.

"This initiative is helping stop the flow of Canadian cars obtained through fraud and provides law enforcement with information to identify and ultimately disrupt criminal organizations," Duheme said. He added that manufacturers, insurers, shippers, law enforcement agencies, and governments each have a role to play. "Project NoCargo is proof that cooperation will yield results."

CBSA intercepted 1,590 stolen vehicles in 2025

The CBSA intercepted 1,590 stolen vehicles in rail yards and ports during 2025. The agency also established a 24-hour contact point for police seeking vehicles headed toward marine ports or intermodal facilities. CBSA states that it acts on every referral and referred potential Project NoCargo cases to the RCMP for investigation.

CBSA President Erin O'Gorman described the operation as a response to evolving criminal tactics.

"Initiatives like Project NoCargo are delivering results and demonstrate the strength of coordinated intelligence and enforcement operations," O'Gorman said. She added that the agency will continue working with enforcement partners. The release did not indicate whether Project NoCargo will continue beyond the pilot phase.

Broader implications for cargo theft and freight fraud

Cargo theft and freight fraud often exploit the same vulnerabilities: stolen identities, falsified paperwork, and transactions that appear legitimate. Project NoCargo demonstrates how criminals can leverage these tools to convert a vehicle into export cargo before the fraud is detected. The operation also illustrates how supply chain and logistics professionals, not just law enforcement, can serve as an early warning layer — flagging documentation inconsistencies or unusual shipping patterns before cargo moves.

CFCO training addresses similar early warning signs, including identity inconsistencies, documents that look authentic, and transactions that move faster than verification processes allow. Identifying those signals before a shipment enters the export chain gives teams a stronger chance of preventing losses.