Police Recover 43 Stolen Luxury Vehicles Smuggled from Abroad

Police have intercepted and recovered a total of 43 high-end luxury vehicles that were stolen from several countries and illicitly shipped into Ghana between January and July this year.

The vehicles, which include Rolls Royce, Audi Q8, Porsche, BMW i7, and Mercedes-Benz V-Class were reportedly stolen from countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, the United States, Germany, Italy and France.

This was revealed by Commissioner of Police (COP) Lydia Donkor at a press briefing in Accra on Monday.

The operation was part of a broader transnational vehicle crime investigation led by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, in collaboration with international partners, including INTERPOL, Digitpol and the FBI, as well as national agencies like the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).

Out of the 43 impounded vehicles, COP Donkor said investigations have been completed on several of them, resulting in a court order for the repatriation of 18 vehicles to their countries of origin.

Eight of the vehicles have already been returned, while ten remain pending repatriation. The remaining 25 cases are still before the courts.

“It is sad to note that in almost all the cases mentioned, those who cleared the vehicles in Ghana have failed to provide any proof of ownership or purchase from the country of origin,” COP Donkor stated.

“Let me be clear — the payment of customs duties does not equate to legitimate acquisition of a vehicle,” he added.

To intensify the crackdown on the illicit vehicle trade, the CID has formed a special task force to conduct intelligence-led operations. As of now, the task force has impounded six more vehicles – four Toyota Tundras, a Toyota RAV4 and a Range Rover – all stolen from Canada. Investigations are ongoing into these cases.

She said the police have uncovered sophisticated tactics used by transnational criminal networks to smuggle the vehicles into Ghana.

These include; Renting vehicles with fake identities and secretly shipping them abroad while the rental agreement is still active.

Disabling tracking systems on stolen vehicles and transporting them across borders, purchasing vehicles using fake or stolen credit card information and then defaulting on payments once the cars are sold.

Using proceeds from crimes such as romance scams and sextortion to import luxury cars as a method of money laundering. COP Donkor also issued a strong warning to Ghanaians to be cautious when purchasing imported vehicles.

“We urge the public not to rely solely on customs documents. Insist on proof of purchase or ownership from the country of origin before buying any imported vehicle,” she advised.

In her closing remarks, COP Donkor reaffirmed the Ghana Police Service’s commitment to fighting organized crime and upholding justice.

She acknowledged public concerns over the pace of some investigations but assured the public that all cases are being handled with professionalism and due diligence.

She also extended appreciation to law enforcement partners, prosecutors, and international collaborators for their continued support.

“Together, we can ensure that Ghana remains safe and secure,” she concluded.

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