The RCMP say it’s recovered nearly 400 vehicles from Canadian ports during the first year of a pilot project targeting the export of vehicles obtained by fraudulent means.

The pilot, called Project NoCargo, targets transnational organized crime networks using fake or stolen credentials to purchase vehicles and obtain insurance policies with the intent of committing fraud, a news release states.

“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,” Mike Duheme, commissioner at the RCMP, said in the release. “We are confronting a complex problem that requires manufacturers, insurance companies, shippers, law enforcement agencies and governments to work together on solutions. Each partner has a role to play and Project NoCargo is proof that cooperation will yield results.”

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Officials say the increase in vehicle finance fraud contributed to approximately $900 million in insurance losses last year.

The Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA) said one of the main objectives of Project NoCargo is to prevent the export of these fraudulently obtained vehicles through Canadian ports.

Since the project launched in June 2025, officials have recovered 392 vehicles with an estimated total value of $28 million in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.

“As criminal networks evolve to evade detection, we will remain vigilant to stay ahead,” Erin O’Gorman, president of the CBSA, said in the press release. “Initiatives like Project NoCargo are delivering results and demonstrate the strength of coordinated intelligence and enforcement operations, and we will continue strengthening our collective response to protect Canada’s borders and communities.”

The RCMP and CBSA partnered with Interpol Ottawa, Fintrac and Canadian financial institutions on the pilot.

In 2025, the CBSA said it intercepted 1,590 stolen vehicles in railyards and ports.