The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) working in close collaboration with INTERPOL Ottawa, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), and Canadian financial institutions, have prevented the export of hundreds of vehicles obtained through fraudulent means as part of a pilot project launched last year.

Project NoCargo was launched in June 2025 by the RCMP’s Federal Policing Criminal Operations – Financial Crime (FPCO FC) program, assisted by INTERPOL Ottawa, with the goal of investigating suspicious vehicle exports. One year later, Project NoCargo continues to deliver real results in the fight against auto theft and financial crime.

In 2025, INTERPOL Ottawa detected an emerging trend of transnational organized crime networks exporting fraudulently obtained vehicles overseas. Criminals commit vehicle finance fraud by stealing or manufacturing personal credentials, which are used to apply for auto loans to purchase a vehicle. The same credentials are in turn used to take out an insurance policy on the vehicle with the intention of committing fraud. The increase in vehicle finance fraud contributed towards an estimated $900 million in insurance losses last year. 

One of the key objectives of Project NoCargo was to rapidly identify and prevent the export of these fraudulently acquired vehicles through Canadian marine ports.

This work was supported by strong partnerships and close inter-agency cooperation, enabling timely information sharing and coordinated action. Throughout Project NoCargo, the CBSA referred cases presenting potential financial fraud risks to the RCMP for investigation. The RCMP undertook investigative actions and, upon confirmation of any criminal infractions, the CBSA intercepted vehicles before export could take place. Over the past year, Project NoCargo has led to the interception and recovery of 392 vehicles, with an estimated total value of $28 million in Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.