The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a significant success in the fight against transnational organized crime with the recovery of two luxury vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally imported into Nigeria.
In a statement, Force Public Relations Officer Force Headquarters, Abuja CSP Benjamin Hundeyin said operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB The Hague, traced and recovered the vehicles — a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4 — from separate locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.
Investigations revealed that the vehicles were stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland and later shipped to Nigeria through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, arriving at Apapa Port, Lagos, in late 2023.
Following the recovery, the Nigeria Police, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, initiated civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. After due legal processes, the Court issued a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands, represented by the vehicles’ insurance company, paving the way for their lawful repatriation.
In line with this order, the INTERPOL team on Monday, October 20, 2025, formally handed over the recovered vehicles to representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria — marking the successful conclusion of the cross-border recovery operation.
Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun commended the INTERPOL NCB Abuja team for their professionalism and effective collaboration with international partners, particularly INTERPOL NCB The Hague. He noted that the operation underscores the Force’s commitment to global law enforcement cooperation and its determination to disrupt criminal networks engaged in cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling.
The Nigeria Police reaffirmed its resolve to strengthen intelligence-led policing and enhance international collaboration in combating all forms of transnational organized crime.
