The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intercepted a fleet of stolen exotic cars smuggled into the country from Canada, in a major breakthrough that underscores Nigeria’s growing role in combating transnational auto theft and cargo fraud.
The high-profile seizure, which took place at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, culminated in the formal handover of the recovered luxury vehicles to the Canadian government, reinforcing bilateral cooperation on international crime and maritime security.
At a brief ceremony, the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the vehicles from the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Frank Onyeka, marking the conclusion of a months-long intelligence-driven operation involving Nigerian and Canadian authorities.
Investigations revealed that the vehicles—reported stolen in Canada—were illegally exported and routed through global shipping networks before arriving in Nigeria. The operation was made possible through coordinated intelligence sharing between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Customs documents showed that the intercepted vehicles include high-end brands such as a Lexus RX350, Mercedes-Benz G550, Land Rover Range Rover, Lamborghini Huracán, Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, Lamborghini Aventador, and a Toyota Tundra—all confirmed stolen prior to shipment.
Comptroller Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was cleverly concealed within a container alongside other automobiles in an attempt to evade detection.
“What initially appeared as routine cargo quickly escalated into an international criminal investigation,” Onyeka said. “Once we received intelligence from Canadian authorities, we immediately placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle.”
According to him, the Command acted swiftly by isolating the shipment, extracting the suspect vehicle, and placing it under strict Customs custody pending diplomatic verification.
He noted that the Service resisted external pressures to release the vehicles through third parties, insisting on a direct handover to Canadian officials to maintain transparency and credibility.
“This was a sensitive international मामला. We ensured that the process was handled with the highest level of integrity by releasing the vehicles only to representatives of the Canadian government,” he added.
The Customs boss said the interception highlights the increasing sophistication of transnational vehicle theft syndicates, which exploit international shipping systems to move stolen luxury cars across continents.
He, however, stressed that the successful recovery demonstrates the strength of Nigeria’s cargo intelligence framework and its commitment to tackling illicit trade and organised cross-border crime.
The operation also signals deepening cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in areas such as intelligence exchange, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement.
Security analysts say the development could boost global confidence in Nigeria’s port surveillance systems while deterring criminal networks targeting the country as a destination for stolen vehicles.
