Police charge 13, including minors, in organized home invasion, theft ring
Peel Regional Police have dismantled an organized crime group operating across the Greater Toronto Area, responsible for stabbings, break-ins, and vehicle thefts.
Peel Regional Police have dismantled an organized crime group operating across the Greater Toronto Area, responsible for stabbings, break-ins, and vehicle thefts. The group “primarily” relied on youth to scout targets and carry out home invasions and car thefts, police say.
Authorities announced they had taken down an organized crime network in the GTA as part of an investigation, dubbed “Project Ghost,” on Tuesday. The crime group was allegedly responsible for over 15 violent home invasions, “high-end” vehicle and jewellery thefts, stabbings and shootings.
Police arrested and charged 13 individuals, including five minors. In total, police laid 197 criminal charges related to organized crime, robbery, attempted murder, firearms trafficking, stolen property and more. The group allegedly stole up to $1.8 million worth of property, with about one-third of that amount recovered by police.
According to the news release, investigators additionally seized cell phones, laptops, a replica firearm, and “a quantity” of white powder believed to be cocaine.
Police noted that the group was sophisticated, as each member had a distinct role; some were tasked with researching and performing reconnaissance on targets, others were assigned to commit burglaries and car thefts, while others were responsible for selling the stolen goods.
The investigation began on August 1, 2024, after three suspects failed to break into a home on Maybeck Drive in Brampton, having initially targeted a BMW in the driveway. Thirty minutes later, the same suspects allegedly broke into another house and demanded the keys to a Mercedes-Benz. Despite complying with the criminals, three victims were stabbed, and one was left in critical condition.
“Imagine being asleep at your home at three o’clock in the morning with your family, your kids, when the door explodes open and masked, armed criminals break into your home and immediately begin to rob you and assault you,” Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich said in Mississauga. “That was the experience for one of the families here.”
Among the 13 accused, three had already breached previous release conditions. While police did not release the names of five minors, they confirmed the youth involved were aged 15 to 17 and their identities are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Police arrested and charged 21-year-old Muhammad Munzir Sultan, 25-year-old Ounali Hussain, 20-year-old Muhammad Raed Abbasi, 22-year-old Mirza Arfeen Baig, 24-year-old Maled Barghouthi, 20-year-old Mustafa Alabd, 22-year-old Arbaaz Amir, and 20-year-old Ngor Neli Deng Akuk Ngor.
When a South Asian-Canadian reporter asked about the immigration status of the criminals, Liberal MP for Mississauga—Erin Mils, Iqra Khalid told the reporter that Canadians need to focus on the crimes and not “creating a rift between people.”
She also assured Canadians that Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada ensures that everyone entering the country undergoes a “rigorous security process.”
According to IRCC data, however, over the last 11 years, Canada has approved more than 17,600 applicants from foreign nationals with criminal convictions.
“Project Ghost should also serve as a reminder to the people who would target our community who try to do similar activities, it’s not welcome. Our community doesn’t accept it,” Milinovich said. “Our police service doesn’t accept it, and it’s because of the people like those standing behind me that I can say you can expect to be arrested and charged if you come to Peel and engage in these types of activities.”
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown echoed the point, saying the 197 charges placed on the group should serve as a warning to other criminals intent on making money at the expense of innocent victims.
“Just imagine being that family, having the door knocked down, how the nightmares those children would have for weeks, months and years to follow,” Brown told reporters. “What’s even more disturbing about this network is the exploitation of youth, recruiting minors to carry out dangerous crimes, absolutely disgusting.”
When asked about the effectiveness of recent changes to bail by the Liberals, Milinovich told True North that this year Peel Regional Police have seen “some improvements” to crime rates, but that comes after a “high water mark” of crime last year.
“We are having some positive momentum forward and seeing some good things. But there’s much more work to be done,” he said. “We need to look at the issue of bail. We need to look at the legislation. It’s evolution and modernization. It’s a capturing, you know, the types of offences that we are seeing.”
He said all levels of policing and governments need to work together to tackle the issue of crime. Khalid added that she doesn’t think bail reforms are an “end-all fix-all” solution.
“Ultimately, laws and writing laws do not just fix a problem with a flip of a switch. It is a continued collaboration with the administration of law, which is the responsibility of our provinces and with our local police,” Khalid said.
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This illustrates so many wrongs. One, the Young Offenders Act should be scrapped. If they are old enough to do the crime they are old enough to take the same consequences as an adult. Not being able to publish names is part of the Act to protect the Political People who enact these things whenever one of their offspring goes astray of the law. On the contrary, their names and pictures should be posted in every Mall and Public area listing their crimes. Second, the immigration system needs to be changed and tightened as we are constantly being told that terrorist types are in the Country, and lastly, Canadians need to feel free to protect our homes and families with whatever force is necessary up to and including deadly force with firearms, without fear of becoming the one being charged.