MONTREAL — Between mid-December and the end of March, police inspected about 400 shipping containers at the Port of Montreal and found nearly 600 stolen vehicles, most of them from the Toronto area.

The operation showed how Canada’s second-largest port has become a key transport hub for stolen vehicle exports. Police say that’s because of the port’s strategic location and large container volume. And while authorities say they are doing what they can to stop the scourge of auto theft, experts say jurisdictional limitations, a lack of personnel, and organized crime are standing in the way.