Nigeria Police Force has recovered two luxury vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally imported into Nigeria, marking a major success in the fight against transnational organised crime.
The recovery was carried out by operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB The Hague, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin.
The vehicles a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4, were traced to Lagos and Akwa Ibom States, respectively. Investigations revealed that the cars were stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland before being shipped through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, and arriving at Apapa Port, Lagos, in late 2023.
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Following their recovery, INTERPOL NCB Abuja initiated civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. After due legal processes, the court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands through the vehicles’ insurance company, paving the way for lawful repatriation.
On Monday, October 20, 2025, the Nigeria Police INTERPOL team officially handed over the vehicles to representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria.
Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, commended the INTERPOL Abuja operatives for their professionalism and close coordination with international partners, particularly INTERPOL NCB The Hague.
He said the success of the operation underscores the Nigeria Police’s commitment to global law enforcement collaboration and the dismantling of criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling.
“The successful recovery and repatriation of the vehicles reflect our unwavering dedication to ensuring that criminals involved in transnational crimes are denied the proceeds of their illegal activities,” the IGP stated.
The Nigeria Police reaffirmed its commitment to intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships to combat transnational organised crime in all its forms.