INTERPOL says it has uncovered about 150 stolen vehicles trafficked from Canada, France, Germany, and the Netherlands into Nigeria, Ghana, and 10 other West African countries within a two-week span.
The crackdown, code-named ‘Safe Wheels’, was coordinated by INTERPOL with support from national law enforcement agencies across 12 West African nations.
The joint effort resulted in the detection of 150 stolen vehicles and the seizure of more than 75.
“An international police operation targeting vehicle crime in West Africa has led to the detection of approximately 150 stolen vehicles and the seizure of more than 75 vehicles,” INTERPOL stated.
Participating countries included Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo. During the March 2025 operation, law enforcement authorities conducted extensive road checks—averaging 46 checkpoints daily—and inspected a total of 12,600 vehicles.
This means about 1.19% of the vehicles checked were confirmed stolen.
According to INTERPOL, most of the detected stolen vehicles originated from Canada, while others had been previously reported stolen in France, Germany, and the Netherlands.
“Most of the stolen vehicles detected through INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database were trafficked from Canada, while many had also been reported stolen in France, Germany and the Netherlands,” the organization noted.
The operation also resulted in the launch of 18 new investigations and the exposure of two organized crime groups believed to be behind the transnational vehicle theft and smuggling network.
“The operation also initiated 18 new investigations and uncovered the involvement of two organized crime groups,” INTERPOL added.
The success of the operation was largely supported by INTERPOL’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database, which enables instant verification of a vehicle’s status across its 196 member countries.
In 2024 alone, around 270,000 vehicles were identified globally as stolen through the SMV database.
“In 2024, around 270,000 vehicles were identified as stolen globally through the SMV database,” INTERPOL reported.
By recovering stolen assets and disrupting organized networks, the ‘Safe Wheels’ operation not only helped return vehicles to rightful owners but also reinforced cross-border cooperation in combating transnational crime.
