The Ghana Police Service, through its Criminal Investigation Department (CID), has successfully recovered 43 luxury vehicles stolen from abroad and smuggled into Ghana between January and July 2025. The vehicles, which include high-end models such as Rolls-Royce, Audi, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz, were illegally imported from countries across Europe and North America.
This development was announced by the Director General of the CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, during a press briefing held on Monday, August 4, 2025. She credited the success to intensified collaboration with both national and international agencies.
“In our bid to combat vehicle-related crimes, the Police Service has strengthened partnerships with key institutions, including the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority, INTERPOL, and the FBI,” COP Donkor stated. “These collaborations have enabled real-time intelligence sharing on stolen vehicles and the global criminal syndicates behind their trafficking.”
Investigations revealed that many of the recovered vehicles were stolen from countries such as the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, the USA, Germany, Italy, and France — nations frequently targeted by car theft syndicates due to their high demand for luxury vehicles and established logistics networks.
COP Donkor noted that these vehicle trafficking rings are often tied to broader transnational criminal activities, including money laundering, insurance fraud, identity theft, and credit card fraud. This underscores Ghana's increasingly significant role as a transit or destination hub within global illicit supply chains.
The recovered vehicles are part of ongoing investigations. Of the 43 impounded cars, 18 cases have been fully investigated, resulting in court orders for their return to the countries of origin. Eight vehicles have already been repatriated, with 10 more awaiting final documentation. The remaining 25 are still undergoing legal and investigative processes in various courts.
“For every impounded vehicle, our investigators conduct detailed verification, giving importers a chance to prove legal ownership or valid purchase from the country of origin,” COP Donkor said. However, she revealed that in nearly all cases, the importers failed to provide such proof — raising concerns about complicity or gross negligence.
She issued a stern warning to importers and potential buyers: “Paying customs duties in Ghana does not equate to legitimate ownership if the vehicle was stolen abroad.”
The CID's findings reflect a broader trend highlighted in recent regional operations. INTERPOL’s “Operation Safe Wheels,” conducted across 12 West African countries from late 2024 to early 2025, uncovered over 150 stolen vehicles — many of which were bound for or already in Ghana.
Criminals involved in these schemes often use advanced methods to avoid detection, such as tampering with Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) and forging documentation.
The ongoing joint efforts of the Ghana Police, GRA Customs, INTERPOL, and the FBI highlight the increasingly global nature of vehicle crime and the vital need for cross-border cooperation to combat these syndicates.
Authorities urge the public, especially vehicle importers and buyers, to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of vehicles beyond customs clearance to avoid unknowingly becoming complicit in international crimes.
Story By: Afia Ohenewaa Akyerem