ABUJA, NIGERIA — A sweeping international police operation has uncovered a major car trafficking network smuggling stolen vehicles from Canada into West Africa, with over 150 vehicles traced to Ghana and Nigeria. The findings are the result of “Operation Safe Wheels,” a two-week enforcement blitz led by INTERPOL from March 17 to 30, 2025.
The operation targeted transnational vehicle smuggling across 12 West African nations, mobilizing law enforcement agencies, customs, and border patrol units to inspect more than 12,600 vehicles using INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database. An average of 46 checkpoints were activated daily throughout the operation.
The bulk of the recovered vehicles originated from Canada, with additional units traced to France, Germany, and the Netherlands. Popular models seized included Toyota, Lexus, Honda, and Peugeot. Authorities in Lagos, Nigeria, intercepted six vehicles hidden in shipping containers from Canada—four of which had been reported stolen in 2024 and showed signs of forced entry.
Ghanaian police also reported multiple recoveries and confirmed that the vehicles were likely destined for resale or dismantling as spare parts for the region’s growing black-market auto trade.
Backed by the Canadian government’s “Project Drive Out” initiative, the operation highlights the critical role of international cooperation in combating organized crime. INTERPOL deployed Canadian experts to assist local forces on the ground and helped initiate 18 new investigations linked to global crime syndicates.
INTERPOL Secretary General Jürgen Stock emphasized the operation’s success: “This crackdown demonstrates the power of shared intelligence and coordinated enforcement in dismantling complex criminal networks.”
With over 270,000 vehicles listed as stolen globally in 2024, INTERPOL says efforts like Operation Safe Wheels are essential to disrupt the lucrative illicit trade in vehicles and spare parts.
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