A Canterbury business owner will appear in court after police uncovered an alleged operation dismantling stolen cars and shipping parts overseas.
The 48-year-old man is accused of participating in an organised criminal group, breaching the Second Hand Dealers Act, and offending involving the stolen vehicles identified at his Kainga business.
Canterbury Police executed a search warrant in March after the Tactical Crime Unit reviewed five years of business records. Authorities alleged the business recorded incorrect details to conceal suspicious sales of vehicles that were stripped and shipped to the United Arab Emirates.
The bust comes amid significant regional vehicle theft, with $10 million worth of vehicles reported stolen in the Canterbury area in 2025 never recovered.
Tactical Crime Unit Detective Sergeant Michael Hawke said the arrest disrupted a major pipeline.
