US Embassy, EOCO, INL, FBI unearth trafficking of stolen luxury vehicles from US, Canada to Ghana

In a remarkable international collaborative effort, the US Embassy in Ghana, in conjunction with Ghana’s Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO), the US Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), and the FBI, have discovered more than 100 luxury vehicles stolen from the US and Canada. This information, originally reported by Ghanaweb.com, was confirmed in a tweet from the US Embassy on May 9, 2023.

The Embassy’s tweet further emphasized the ongoing cooperation between these agencies, applauding their efforts in curbing international criminal organizations. It mentioned the upcoming donation of asset-recovery equipment by @StateINL to @EOCOghana to strengthen the fight against theft, fraud, and corruption.

Working with @StateINL and @FBI, 🇬🇭@EOCOghana has identified more than 100 luxury vehicles stolen 🇺🇸 from the and 🇨🇦 for resale in Ghana. pic.twitter.com/lltiSUKeMb

— U.S. Embassy Ghana (@USEmbassyGhana) May 9, 2023

This revelation follows an earlier investigation by Mariana van Zeller for the National Geographic Channel that brought to light a car smuggling operation traced back to Ghana.

Zeller’s investigative journey began in the United States, where she shadowed a gang specializing in the theft of luxury vehicles. Gang members, who shared their operations and the structure of their international crime syndicate, revealed a pipeline leading from the streets of America to countries like Ghana.

Venturing to Ghana, Zeller met local affiliates involved in the syndicate. From a black-market hacker/trader to a handler managing the business side, she gained insights into the trade of stolen vehicles within the Ghanaian system, seemingly bypassing any red flags.

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