Police Disrupt Toyota Theft Syndicate

Queensland police say they have disrupted an alleged international crime syndicate accused of stealing 60 Toyota vehicles across the Brisbane region and shipping some of them to the United Arab Emirates. Seven men have been charged with more than 300 offences following a two-month investigation.

Detectives from Brisbane Criminal Investigation Branches and the Major and Organised Crime Squad Brisbane established an incident centre at Dutton Park Police Station on November 17 under Operation Xray Lox. The investigation was supported by the Public Safety Response Team, Dog Squad, POLAIR, Australian Federal Police, Australian Border Force and Victoria Police.

Police allege a group of foreign nationals travelled to Brisbane in October and targeted Toyota LandCruiser and Prado models between October 20 and December 1. Investigators later found two allegedly stolen LandCruisers concealed inside a shipping container at a Rocklea wrecking yard. A further six vehicles were recovered from containers at the Port of Brisbane and in Melbourne, while 15 of the most recently stolen vehicles have been recovered overall.

The accused men, aged between 28 and 45, face charges including vehicle theft and attempted vehicle theft. Several remain in custody and are due to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court in January. Police said the group poses no ongoing threat to the community and that investigations are continuing with Toyota Australia and law enforcement agencies.