The Ghana Police Service has busted a sophisticated international vehicle theft operation that smuggled luxury cars into the country through fraudulent shipping and identity schemes.
At a press conference held on Monday, August 4, 2025, the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Commissioner of Police Lydia Yaako Donkor, said a specialized unit within the CID tasked with combating vehicle-related crimes had unraveled a complex scheme involving foreign car rental scams and cross-border trafficking.
According to the CID, members of the criminal syndicate rent high-end vehicles from car rental agencies abroad—particularly in countries such as Canada—using fake personal information and fraudulent documents. While the rental agreement is still active, the criminals covertly arrange for the vehicle to be shipped out of the country.
“Once they confirm that the vehicle has been successfully exported, the suspects stop paying the rental company and cut off all communication,” COP Donkor explained.
The syndicate allegedly smuggles the stolen vehicles into Ghana under false documentation, disguising the true ownership and origin of the cars. These operations are often carried out in collaboration with local accomplices who receive and prepare the vehicles for sale within the country.
As part of ongoing investigations, the CID has so far identified 43 luxury vehicles suspected to have been stolen abroad and trafficked into Ghana. The recovered cars include high-end brands such as Rolls-Royce, Audi Q8, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
The stolen vehicles are believed to have originated from multiple countries including the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, the United States, Germany, Italy, and France.
Of the 43 vehicles recovered, 18 have been ordered by the courts to be returned to their countries of origin. Eight have already been repatriated, while 10 are currently undergoing legal and procedural processes for return. The remaining 25 vehicles are still being processed through ongoing judicial proceedings.
In a related operation, a separate CID-led task force has also seized six additional vehicles suspected to be linked to theft cases reported in Canada. These include four Toyota Tundras, one Toyota RAV4, and one Range Rover.
Police sources indicate that the suspects behind the illegal shipments often forge clearance documents and collaborate with insiders to bypass standard port checks. The CID has intensified its investigations to identify and apprehend the individuals and networks facilitating these cross-border crimes.
COP Donkor urged stakeholders at Ghana’s ports—including clearing agents, shipping companies, and customs officials—to remain vigilant and proactive in verifying vehicle documentation and ownership records.
“We are calling on the general public to be cautious of suspicious vehicle sales and to promptly report such activities to the police,” she said.
“This cooperation is crucial to disrupting the operations of transnational car theft syndicates and protecting legitimate businesses and consumers.”
