By Nathan Sager Posted June 29, 2022 at 7:28 pm Hamilton police say they have made more than two dozen arrests, recovered $ 1.6 million in illicit drugs and filed more than 200 charges while investigating an organized car theft ring called Project Grizzly. The investigation began last month and took place in various locations in the Hamilton and Niagara area. In all, 28 people were arrested and 19 stolen vehicles were found. A large quantity of illegal drugs and two loaded firearms were also found. The recovered drugs, valued at $ 1.6 million, contained 13.6 kilograms of cocaine and 45 grams of methamphetamine. Project Grizzly was conducted in collaboration with the Equite Association (formerly the Insurance Bureau of Canada) and the Niagara Regional Police. The Equite Association estimates that car thefts cost Canadians nearly $ 1 billion a year. Most of these include costs for insurance companies to repair or replace stolen vehicles. About $ 250 million is spent on police, health care and the judiciary, along with millions more on penitentiary services. The Project Grizzly investigation is ongoing, if you have any information that you believe could help the police investigate this crime, please contact Det. Sean Woodard (905-546-3820) or Acting Det.-Sgt. George Gallant (905-540-5085). Information can be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477, or crimestoppershamilton.com). (The graphic was provided by the Hamilton Police Department.) Insauga Advertising Standards and Writing Policies
