The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) at the Tincan Island Port Command has reinforced its international enforcement credentials with the successful recovery and handover of multiple stolen luxury vehicles traced to Canada, in a coordinated anti-smuggling operation at the port.
The vehicles were officially handed over on May 4, 2026, to Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, by the Customs Area Controller, Frank Onyeka, following months of intelligence collaboration between the NCS and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
The recovery operation stemmed from intelligence reports indicating that several high-end vehicles stolen in Canada had been illegally exported and routed to Nigeria through international shipping networks. Acting on the information, Customs officials intercepted and secured the vehicles before they could be released into the local market.
An internal Customs document listed the recovered vehicles as including 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 stolen prior to shipment.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Onyeka revealed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, had been concealed within a container alongside other automobiles and was still under Customs control when intelligence from Canadian authorities triggered immediate action.
“What appeared to be routine cargo quickly turned into an international criminal investigation”, Onyeka said. “Once intelligence reached us, we placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation”.
He noted that the Service resisted pressure from intermediaries seeking to claim the vehicles, insisting instead on a direct handover to Canadian officials to ensure transparency and preserve the integrity of the process.
“This was a sensitivity. We ensured that only the rightful authorities received the vehicles after due verification”, he added.
The operation highlights Nigeria’s growing role in combating transnational organised crime, particularly syndicates that exploit global shipping routes to traffic stolen vehicles and other illicit goods.
Customs officials said the success of the recovery underscored deepening cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement; key pillars in tackling cross-border financial crimes and illegal trade.
The NCS reaffirmed its commitment to sustaining international partnerships aimed at disrupting criminal networks and strengthening the credibility of Nigeria’s ports in global trade.