BREAKING 🇳🇬🇨🇦🚨: Nigeria Customs Hands Over Luxury Vehicles Stolen from Canada in Major International Crime CrackdownBy Suleiman AbisolaMay 11, 2026

The Nigeria Customs Service has handed over several luxury vehicles stolen from Canada and smuggled into Nigeria, in a coordinated enforcement operation described as a major breakthrough in cross border crime control.

The handover ceremony took place on Sunday at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, where Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, formally received the recovered vehicles on behalf of the Canadian government. The exercise was supervised by the Customs Area Controller of the port, Comptroller Frank Onyeka.

According to the Nigeria Customs Service spokesperson, Abdullahi Maiwada, the recovery was achieved through sustained intelligence sharing between Nigerian authorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. He said the collaboration followed months of tracking stolen vehicles that were allegedly moved out of Canada and brought into Nigeria through smuggling channels.

The recovered fleet includes a 2019 Lexus RX350, 2019 Mercedes Benz G550, 2023 Range Rover, 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, 2021 Rolls Royce Dawn Convertible, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra. Authorities described the seizure as one of the most significant recoveries involving luxury vehicles linked to international theft rings.

Officials further disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was hidden inside a container mixed with other imported cars. The concealment was discovered after intelligence alerts from Canadian authorities triggered immediate monitoring and interception by Customs operatives.

Comptroller Frank Onyeka stated that the consignment was placed under strict enforcement watch once the alert was received. He added that the service rejected attempts by unauthorised individuals to take possession of the vehicles, insisting that they be formally handed over to Canadian officials to ensure accountability and proper documentation.

He also noted that the operation reflects improved cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in areas such as intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, maritime surveillance, and enforcement against organised transnational crime involving stolen assets and illicit trade networks.

Customs officials described the development as a clear signal that Nigeria is tightening enforcement systems at its ports and strengthening international partnerships to combat smuggling operations that attempt to use the country as a transit hub for stolen goods.