A major international operation has led to the discovery of 150 stolen vehicles, primarily from Canada, smuggled into Nigeria and other West African countries, INTERPOL announced this week.
The two-week crackdown, code-named Operation Safe Wheels, took place in March 2025 across 12 West African nations, including Nigeria, Ghana, and Togo. Authorities conducted an average of 46 vehicle checkpoints daily, scanning over 12,600 vehicles against INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database. More than 75 vehicles have already been seized as investigations continue.
Most of the stolen vehicles identified were originally taken from Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands. INTERPOL’s SMV database flagged them during routine checks by border officials and customs officers.
In a key incident during the operation, officers of the Nigerian Customs Service intercepted six stolen vehicles—including Toyota and Lexus models—concealed inside shipping containers arriving from Canada. These vehicles had been reported stolen in 2024, triggering a collaborative investigation between Nigerian and Canadian authorities.
The SMV database, which allows law enforcement agencies in 196 member countries to verify whether a vehicle has been reported stolen, played a central role in the success of the operation. INTERPOL reported that in 2024 alone, about 270,000 vehicles were registered as stolen globally through the system.
Toyota, Peugeot, and Honda vehicles were among the most commonly recovered models, many having crossed borders via land routes and seaports, contributing to a growing underground trade that fuels organized crime networks.
The operation was carried out with the support of INTERPOL’s SMV Task Force and funded under “Project Drive Out,” a Canadian government-backed initiative to tackle the rising wave of transnational vehicle theft and illegal auto parts trade.
Countries involved in the effort included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.
