Customs intercept luxury vehicles stolen from Canada and smuggled into Nigeria

Monday, May 11, 2026 - The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has formally handed over intercepted stolen luxury vehicles traced to Canada. 

NCS spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement on Sunday, May 10, 2026 said the move was part of ongoing efforts to strengthen international confidence in Nigeria’s anti-smuggling and cargo intelligence system.

According to the statement, the handover ceremony took place on Monday, 4 May 2026, at the Tin Can Island Port, where the Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, officially received the recovered vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Frank Onyeka.

“The recovery followed months of intelligence sharing and operational collaboration between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, after authorities in Canada traced a number of stolen high-end vehicles believed to have been smuggled into Nigeria via international shipping channels,” the statement read. 

“Internal Customs document dated 5 May 2026, showed that the intercepted vehicles included a 2019 Lexus RX350, 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra, all confirmed to have been stolen and illegally exported before ending up in Nigeria.”

Speaking shortly after the handover at the Tican island Customs Area Command, Comptroller Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was initially concealed inside a container carrying other vehicles and had not yet exited Customs control before intelligence from Canadian authorities triggered immediate intervention.

According to him, once the alert was received and shipping documentation transmitted through official channels, officers of the Command moved swiftly to isolate the suspicious consignment, extract the affected vehicle, and place it under enforcement custody pending diplomatic verification.

"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.” Comptroller Onyeka said.

He explained that the Service deliberately delayed the final release until officials of the Canadian government arrived in person to complete identification and recovery procedures.

“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," he added.

Comptroller Onyeka reiterated that the operation signalled the Nigeria Customs Service’s might in fighting against transnational vehicle theft syndicates that exploit global shipping routes to move stolen automobiles across continents.

He further stated that the recovery has revealed the ongoing cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement, particularly in tackling organized cross-border crimes involving stolen assets, illicit trade, and other fraudulent activities.