The discovery came during an INTERPOL operation code-named Operation Safe Wheels, a two-week initiative in March 2025 involving 12 West African countries, including Ghana and Nigeria, which uncovered dozens of stolen vehicles across the region.
The operation has led to the seizure of more than 75 vehicles so far.
Globally, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are stolen every year, often becoming part of a larger illicit trade.
According to INTERPOL, most stolen vehicles detected through their database originated from countries like Canada, with others reported stolen in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
In 2024 alone, around 270,000 vehicles were identified as stolen worldwide using INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database. This database enables police in 196 member countries to instantly verify if a suspicious vehicle has been reported stolen.
David Caunter, Director of Organized and Emerging Crime at INTERPOL, emphasized the significance of the SMV database, saying:
“Each year, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are stolen around the world, yet the initial theft is often only the beginning of a vehicle’s journey into the global criminal underworld.”
“Stolen vehicles are trafficked across the globe, traded for drugs and other illicit commodities, enriching organized crime groups and even terrorists. INTERPOL’s SMV database is the strongest tool we have to track stolen vehicles and identify the criminals involved in this global trade.”
Stolen cars smuggled to Africa
Law enforcement agencies in 12 participating countries conducted a two-week operation, setting up an average of 46 checkpoints daily to inspect 12,600 vehicles against INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle database.
The operation uncovered several stolen vehicles, predominantly Toyota, Peugeot, and Honda models, trafficked via land and sea routes.
In one notable incident, Nigerian Customs Service officers discovered six stolen vehicles – Toyota and Lexus models – in freight containers from Canada.
INTERPOL’s database confirmed these vehicles were reported stolen in Canada in 2024, prompting ongoing investigations between Nigeria and Canada.
The operation, dubbed “Safe Wheels,” was supported by INTERPOL’s SMV Task Force and funded by the Government of Canada under the “Project Drive Out” partnership, aimed at combating vehicle theft and illicit spare part trade.
Participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Cote d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.
