Interpol says more than 200 stolen Canadian vehicles have been found each week across the globe since February.

The international law enforcement agency says a total of more than 1,500 vehicles have been identified thanks to the RCMP鈥檚 decision earlier this year to integrate Canada鈥檚 database for stolen vehicles with Interpol鈥檚.

Interpol鈥檚 database, which collects information from 137 countries, indicates that so far this year Canada ranks among the world鈥檚 top 10 countries for stolen vehicles.

It says thieves are attracted to Canada鈥檚 abundant supply of highly prized models such as SUVs and crossovers, which are often shipped to countries in the Middle East and West Africa, where they are traded or resold.

Interpol secretary general Jurgen Stock says in a news release today that stolen vehicles represent a significant source of revenue for transnational organized criminal groups.

Stock says stolen vehicles are used not only to traffic drugs but also as payment to other criminal networks.

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The Canadian Press