By Issah Olegor
A large-scale international police operation led by INTERPOL has uncovered a major vehicle trafficking syndicate operating across West Africa, with Ghana and Nigeria emerging as significant hubs in the illicit trade.
The operation, dubbed Operation Safe Wheels, revealed that more than 150 vehicles—mostly stolen from Canada—had been trafficked into the region, with over 75 already seized in 12 participating countries.
The two-week operation, which ran from March 17 to 30, 2025, was part of INTERPOL’s wider initiative known as Project Drive Out, launched in partnership with the Government of Canada.
Backed by Canadian funding and technical support, the project aims to combat the global smuggling of stolen vehicles and car parts, which is increasingly linked to organized transnational crime.
In Ghana, police and customs authorities intensified vehicle inspections across major border points and highways, conducting daily checks at an average of 46 checkpoints.
Over 12,600 vehicles were screened during the period, with Toyota, Honda, and Peugeot brands among the most frequently flagged during database matches.
Authorities confirmed that several vehicles found in Ghana had been listed on INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database.
The SMV database, a critical tool in the operation, allows instant cross-border verification of vehicle status across INTERPOL’s 196 member countries.
It was instrumental in helping field officers quickly identify stolen cars during roadside inspections and port checks.
In Nigeria, the crackdown exposed part of the criminal supply chain.
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) officers at the Lagos port intercepted six high-end Toyota and Lexus vehicles concealed in shipping containers.
A check against the SMV database confirmed all six had been reported stolen in Canada in 2024.
Some of the cars exhibited signs of tampering and forced entry, suggesting organized and professional theft methods.
The discovery has sparked new investigations in both Ghana and Nigeria, and officials say at least 18 fresh probes have been launched across the sub-region.
INTERPOL believes the vehicles were trafficked by two well-coordinated criminal networks that are also likely involved in other forms of smuggling and cross-border crime.
INTERPOL’s Director of Organized and Emerging Crime, David Caunter, described the global car theft trade as a critical enabler of organized crime.
“Each year, hundreds of thousands of vehicles are stolen around the world, yet the initial theft is often only the beginning of a vehicle’s journey into the global criminal underworld,” Caunter noted.
“Stolen vehicles are trafficked across the globe, traded for drugs and other illicit commodities, enriching organized crime groups and even terrorists.”
To support the operation, INTERPOL deployed nine expert officers from its SMV Task Force to assist local enforcement teams in six countries: Benin, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, and Togo.
Their role included training, database analysis, and on-the-ground coordination with local units.
The full list of participating countries in Operation Safe Wheels includes: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo.
Authorities say follow-up investigations are expected to yield more arrests and seizures as law enforcement agencies across West Africa continue to collaborate under INTERPOL’s coordination.
This latest bust highlights not only the scale of international vehicle theft but also the growing security cooperation between African nations and global policing bodies in tackling transnational organized crime.
