Two luxury vehicles stolen from the Netherlands have been recovered in Nigeria, officials said on Monday, marking a win for international crime-fighting and offering hope to victims of cross-border theft.
The cars, a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4, were stolen in Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland and later shipped via the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, arriving in Apapa, Lagos, in late 2023.
The recovery was carried out by the Nigeria Police Force in conjunction with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) National Central Bureau in The Hague. One vehicle was found in Lagos, the other in Akwa Ibom state, according to the force’s spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin.
Legal steps followed. Civil forfeiture proceedings were initiated at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Dutch government, via the vehicles’ insurance company, enabling their lawful repatriation. The police said they handed over the cars to representatives of the insurance firm and the Dutch embassy in Nigeria.
Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun praised the INTERPOL operatives for “professionalism and effective synergy with international partners”, highlighting Nigeria’s commitment to denying criminal networks the proceeds of their crime.
The case underscores broader transnational crime efforts: Nigeria and other West African countries were involved in recovering more than €2 million linked to criminal syndicates in 2023, and a separate operation saw the arrest of 260 transnational criminals and seizure of over 1,000 electronic devices used in cyber or financial crimes.
“The Nigeria Police Force remains dedicated to intensifying intelligence-led policing and strengthening international collaborations aimed at tackling all forms of transnational organised crime,” Hundeyin added.
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