An extensive international police operation has revealed a large vehicle trafficking network in West Africa, resulting in the identification of approximately 150 stolen vehicles and the confiscation of over 75 across 12 countries in the sub-region.
The two-week operation, known as “Safe Wheels,” was organised by Interpol and included security agencies from The Gambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, and Togo.
The enforcement action resulted in 18 new investigations and revealed the operations of two organised crime syndicates.
The operation relied heavily on Interpol’s Stolen Motor Vehicle (SMV) database to identify stolen cars. The SMV database enables police from its 196 member countries to quickly verify if a vehicle has been reported as stolen.
David Caunter, Interpol’s Director of Organised and Emerging Crime, emphasised the worldwide extent of car theft and its connections to organised crime.
“Every year, countless vehicles are stolen globally, but the initial theft frequently marks just the start of a vehicle’s path into the international criminal underworld,” he stated.
“Vehicles that are stolen are moved around the world, exchanged for drugs and other illegal goods, benefiting organised crime syndicates and even terrorist organizations.”
