Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted several luxury vehicles stolen from Canada and illegally shipped into the country through the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, in what officials described as a major breakthrough against transnational vehicle theft syndicates.
The recovered vehicles, including Lamborghini, Rolls-Royce, Mercedes-Benz and Range Rover brands, were formally handed over to Canadian authorities during a ceremony held at the port on Monday.
The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Command, Frank Onyeka.
In a statement made available to Newsmen by the National Public Relations Officer of the NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, in Lagos, the operation followed months of intelligence sharing between Nigerian authorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
According to the statement, the intercepted vehicles included a 2019 Lexus RX350, a 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador and a 2026 Toyota Tundra, all confirmed to have been stolen and illegally exported from Canada before ending up in Nigeria.
Maiwada said the recovery underscored ongoing efforts by the Customs Service to strengthen anti-smuggling operations and improve international confidence in Nigeria’s cargo intelligence system.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was secretly concealed inside a container carrying other automobiles before it was intercepted by Customs officers.
“What looked like a routine cargo movement quickly became an international criminal investigation. Once intelligence reached us, we placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation from Canadian authorities,” he said.
The Comptroller explained that the suspicious container was immediately isolated after intelligence reports and shipping documents were received from Canada through diplomatic and enforcement channels.
He added that the Nigeria Customs Service deliberately delayed releasing the vehicles until Canadian officials arrived in Nigeria to verify and recover them directly.
“We had people who wanted to step in on behalf of others, but this was too sensitive. We insisted the handover must be directly to the Canadian government to preserve the integrity of the process,” Onyeka stated.
He described the operation as a clear indication of Nigeria’s growing capacity to combat organised international crime and stolen vehicle trafficking.
According to him, criminal syndicates are increasingly exploiting global shipping networks to move stolen luxury automobiles across continents while disguising them as legitimate cargo.
Onyeka further noted that the successful interception demonstrated the Service’s renewed focus on cargo profiling, maritime enforcement and intelligence gathering at the nation’s seaports.
He added that the operation also reflected growing security collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in tackling organised cross-border crimes involving stolen assets, illicit trade and other fraudulent activities.
The development comes amid rising global concerns over international vehicle theft syndicates exploiting weak shipping controls to move stolen luxury automobiles into emerging markets.
Security experts say African ports have increasingly become targets for global car theft networks due to high demand for exotic vehicles and weak verification systems in some jurisdictions.
