An alleged international car theft syndicate that targeted high-end Toyota four-wheel drives in Brisbane has been dismantled, with police accusing the group of stealing dozens of vehicles and exporting them overseas for profit.
Queensland Police say seven foreign nationals are facing more than 380 charges after a two-month investigation uncovered what detectives describe as a highly organised operation focused on Toyota LandCruisers and Prados.
Between 20 October and 1 December, investigators allege 60 vehicles worth about $9 million were stolen across the Brisbane region before being concealed inside shipping containers and sent to the United Arab Emirates as second-hand cars.
South Brisbane District Detective Inspector Paul Dalton said the group allegedly flew into Brisbane in October last year and quickly began targeting specific Toyota models.
“This was a sophisticated, well-disciplined international syndicate operating with precision,” Det Insp Dalton said.
“The vehicles were stolen within minutes and prepared for export almost immediately.”
The investigation, known as Operation Xray Lox, was launched in November after police noticed a sharp spike in vehicle thefts. A major breakthrough came in the early hours of 2 December, when officers followed two allegedly stolen LandCruisers into a wrecking yard at Rocklea.
Inside the yard, police say they discovered a shipping container holding the vehicles, hidden behind a façade of dismantled car parts. Over the following week, two more containers were seized at the Port of Brisbane, recovering another four vehicles. With assistance from the Australian Border Force, four additional containers were later located in Melbourne.
In total, 15 vehicles have been recovered. Police believe the remaining 45 have already left Australia.
Detective Acting Inspector Russell Joyce said investigators do not believe the shipping companies involved were aware of the contents of the containers.
“The movement of the containers appears to have been entirely legitimate,” he said.
“There is no indication the logistics companies knew they were transporting stolen vehicles.”
Police allege the seven men, aged between 28 and 45 and from countries including Brazil, Fiji, Japan and Afghanistan, were all in Australia lawfully at the time of the offences. Four of the accused face 60 counts each of stealing a vehicle, while others have been charged with multiple additional theft and attempted theft offences. Five men have been remanded in custody, and all are due to appear before the Brisbane Magistrates Court later this month.
A spokesperson for Toyota Australia said the company was aware of a rise in vehicle thefts involving “rapidly evolving technologies” and was working closely with law enforcement agencies.
“This is a serious issue,” the spokesperson said.
“We are collaborating with police and our global teams to identify the latest methods being used by criminals and to strengthen vehicle security features.”
Police have assured the community there is no ongoing threat, but investigations are continuing to determine whether the alleged syndicate has links to broader organised crime networks operating internationally.
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