The Ghana Police Service has uncovered a sophisticated criminal scheme used to smuggle stolen vehicles into the country, involving the use of fake identities and fraudulent shipping tactics.
Addressing the media at a press conference in Accra today,the Director-General of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, revealed that a special CID task force, set up to tackle vehicle-related crimes, has gathered intelligence, exposing the operations of transnational criminal syndicates.
These criminals rent vehicles using fake identities while the rental agreement is still valid, they secretly arrange for the vehicles to be shipped out.
She explained that, once they receive confirmation that the vehicle has been successfully exported, they stop paying the rental fees and cut off communication with the rental company.
According to COP Donkor, the vehicles are often rented from car rental companies abroad, particularly in Canada, and smuggled into Ghana under false pretences.
She said, CID has so far uncovered a total of 43 luxury vehicles suspected to have been stolen abroad and trafficked into Ghana for illegal sale. These vehicles include: Rolls-Royce, Audi Q8, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz.
The vehicles are believed to have been stolen from countries including the Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, the USA, Germany, Italy, and France.
Out of the 43 vehicles, 18 have been ordered by the courts to be repatriated to their respective countries of origin.
So far, eight have been returned, while 10 are undergoing repatriation processes. The remaining 25 are still subject to ongoing adjudication.
Meanwhile, a special task force set up has also impounded six vehicles believed to be stolen. The recovered vehicles include four Toyota Tundras, one Toyota RAV4, and one Range Rover, all traced back to theft incidents in Canada.
She emphasised the importance of vigilance among key stakeholders at the country’s ports and also investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend the individuals behind the illegal importation network.
She urged clearing agents, port officials, and the general public to remain alert and report any suspicious vehicle transactions.
She however urged the public to report suspicious vehicle dealings and cooperate with police investigations as the CID intensifies its fight against cross-border vehicle crime.
