Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) yesterday announced the arrest of 46 individuals connected to criminal tourism, which is estimated to have caused over $2.61 million in confirmed financial loss in Durham Region alone.
Some of the arrested have ties to international crime networks, police said while announcing the results of Project Jetsetter, a coordinated enforcement and investigative response focused on criminal tourism.
This initiative targeted organized groups travelling to Canada for the purpose of executing high-profit crimes, often connected to international criminal networks. These activities were deliberate, coordinated, and profit-driven, not random or opportunistic, police said.
5,000 Investigative Hours
Through more than nine separate investigations and over 5,000 investigative hours, the DRPS Financial Crimes Unit tracked more than 200 incidents tied to criminal tourism.
Investigations identified a wide range of organized criminal activity, including large-scale retail theft operations, vehicle purchasing scams, vehicle financing fraud, staged collisions for insurance fraud, jewelry distraction thefts, and the theft and exportation of vehicles and other goods.
These offenses were structured, repeatable, and designed to maximize financial gain, police said.
Of particular concern was the significant increase in jewelry distraction thefts, where suspects use coordinated distraction techniques to steal valuables from victims in public or on private property.
Police have seen these incidents rise dramatically, with victims—often seniors—targeted through deception-based approaches such as offering assistance or gifts while removing jewelry.
Significant Impact
These incidents have a significant impact on our communities, businesses, and vulnerable individuals, including seniors, affecting both financial security and personal safety, police said.
As a result of these investigations, 46 individuals have been arrested and 164 suspects remain wanted. The investigations connected to Project Jetsetter date back to 2019, involve more than 1,440 charges, and remain ongoing as investigators continue to identify additional incidents linked to criminal tourism. Names and further details available at www.drps.ca.
DRPS continues to work closely with policing partners, including the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, to track offenders across jurisdictions, share intelligence, and disrupt these networks at both the local and national level.
Criminal Tourism Is Organized
“Criminal tourism is a recent, borderless form of organized crime that impacts the daily lives of Canadians and underscores the need for strong global partnerships. Our intelligence program works closely with our policing partners to connect the dots and enhance public safety,” said Mario Panizzon, Director General, RCMP National Intelligence.
Police are reminding residents and business owners to remain vigilant. Criminal tourism often targets situations where individuals may be distracted or where safeguards are limited.
“Public awareness is an important part of preventing these types of crimes,” added DRPS Police Chief Peter Moreira. “By recognizing the warning signs and reporting suspicious behaviour, residents can help reduce opportunities for offenders and support ongoing investigations.”
Project Jetsetter will continue to focus on identifying and apprehending those involved, while disrupting the broader criminal networks behind these activities.
Editor’s Note: Durham Post does not name the accused parties as:
1. Of this time, they are suspect[s] and not convicted by a court, and
2. Sometimes charges are amended or dropped.
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