9 vehicles recovered and 2 men charged in a multi-agency operation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, June 12, 2023   11:15 am

Ottawa – The Ottawa Police Service has charged two men following a three-month investigation into auto thefts in the region.

In March, a member of the public contacted police advising of suspicious activity in their area. This initial call resulted in a multi-agency investigation led by the OPS in partnership with Gatineau Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Montreal Police (SPVM).

Earlier this month, three search warrants were executed, two in Gatineau and one in Ottawa. A search warrant was also executed in Montreal in early May with assistance provided by the Montreal Police. Ultimately, this led to the arrest of two individuals and the recovery of nine stolen vehicles.

Marc KOUASSI, 25, and Lagaud BOUABRE, 23, of Gatineau, were both charged with:

·        1 count of conspiracy to commit an indictable offence

·        9 counts of possessing stolen property for the purpose of trafficking

·        1 count of one theft of a motor vehicle

They are scheduled to appear in court at a later date.

Of the nine recovered stolen vehicles were Honda CRVs (4), Toyota Highlander (1), Toyota Tacoma (1), Jeep Wranglers (2), and a Dodge Ram with a combined value of over $400,000.

This operation was funded with the assistance of the Ontario Government and Criminal Intelligence Service Ontario, and ongoing support was provided by Équité (the investigative arm of the Insurance Bureau of Canada).

The Ottawa Police Service would like to remind residents to be vigilant and that Neighbourhood Watch is still the best defence – so please report any suspicious activity to police immediately by calling 613-236-1222.

Visit ottawapolice.ca for vehicle theft prevention tips.

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Media Relations Section

Tel: 613-236-1222, ext. 5366