Customs hands over 21 stolen cars worth N1.8bn to Canadian government

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over 21 stolen exotic cars worth over N1.8 billion to the Canadian government.

Wale Adeniyi, comptroller general of customs (CGC) of the customs service, handed the vehicles over on Tuesday at the federal operation unit (FOU) in Lagos.

Adeniyi said the international police (INTERPOL) had identified countries in the West Africa sub-region as hubs for exotic vehicles stolen from Canada, America, and Europe.

He said the stolen vehicles are usually shipped to Nigeria with falsified documents.

He added the officers were able to recover the cars from the criminal gang with the aid of the recently established operations hot wheel.

“Operation Hot Wheel consists of officers from the Nigeria Customs Service, the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), and the Canadian government,” Adeniyi said.

“According to INTERPOL reports, West Africa has emerged as a notable destination hub in the global stolen vehicle trade network.

“This extends from Europe and North America to as far as South America and Australia. This challenge is particularly acute in Nigeria.

“The growing incidence of stolen vehicles finding their way into our region has become a matter of serious concern, as it not only undermines our legitimate automotive market but also strains our security infrastructure.

“Recent intelligence from international law enforcement agencies further confirms that our region has become a preferred destination for internationally stolen vehicles.

“This is a trend that not only tarnishes Nigeria’s international image but also impacts our economy through substantial revenue losses and increased security spending.

“Beyond damaging our legitimate automotive trade sector and international business relationships, it undermines President Tinubu’s economic reform agenda that aims to position Nigeria as a trusted hub for international commerce.”