The Nigeria Customs Service has revealed that West Africa has become a key destination in the global stolen vehicles trade network, which spans from Europe and North America to South America and Australia.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi,
made this disclosure on Tuesday in Lagos during a display of seized vehicles.

He also noted that in recent months, the service has ramped up its tracking operations to combat vehicle trafficking syndicates operating within the country’s borders.

“According to INTERPOL reports, West Africa has emerged as a notable destination hub in the global stolen vehicle trade network, which extends from Europe and North America as far as South America and Australia,” he said.

Adeniyi lamented that the challenge is more in Nigeria adding that data from the National Bureau of Statistics shows that  between 2013-2015, only 54 per cent of stolen vehicles were recovered, “highlighting the scale and sophistication of this criminal enterprise.”

He explained that to tackle this issue, the service launched Operation Hot Wheels, a targeted enforcement initiative designed to disrupt the flow of stolen vehicles into Nigeria via its ports and borders.

Adeniyi stressed that the platform was launched as a collaborative effort between the NCS, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and Canadian authorities, “the operation focused on intelligence sharing, coordinated surveillance, and strategic interdiction.”

He emphasized that the increasing incidence of stolen vehicles entering the region is a serious concern, as it not only damages the legitimate automotive market but also puts a strain on the region’s security infrastructure.

He mentioned that recent intelligence from international law enforcement agencies further confirms that, “our region has become a preferred destination for internationally stolen vehicles, a trend that not only tarnishes Nigeria’s international image but also impacts our economy through substantial revenue losses and increased security spending.”

Adeniyi detailed that a recent intelligence-driven operation at the Area II Command, Onne Port, led to the interception of a 40ft container, registration number MRSU-5028706, which was falsely declared to contain used vehicles and auto spare parts.

He however, lamented that a physical examination of the container revealed three undeclared 2021 Toyota Highlander vehicles, “two in Navy Blue and one in Red color.”

The CGC highlighted that the Federal Operations Unit Zone A has shown exceptional vigilance through strategic interdictions at various locations across Lagos.

“The interception includes, one Mercedes-Benz G550 with Range Rover Sport valued at N506m, intercepted along Trinity Axis in Lagos, one Mercedes-AMG GT with Lamborghini Huracan valued at N630m, one Rolls Royce intercepted at Victoria Island, valued at N231m.

“Others include, one Lamborghini 2019 Model recovered at Victoria Island, valued at N239m, two Range Rovers (2023 & 2018 models) intercepted along Lekki, valued at N267m,” the CGC stated.

The customs boss revealed that at the Tincan Island Command, the service intercepted three 2021 models of Toyota Highlander through intelligence gathering.

He noted that these recoveries underscored the sophistication of transnational vehicle theft syndicates and their evolving methods of concealment.