The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted several stolen luxury vehicles smuggled into the country from Canada through the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, in what officials described as a significant breakthrough against international vehicle theft syndicates.

The recovered vehicles, including high end brands such as Rolls Royce, Lamborghini and Mercedes Benz, were officially handed over to Canadian authorities during a ceremony held at the Tin Can Island Port on Monday, May 4, 2026.

The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the vehicles from the Customs Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Command, Frank Onyeka.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the operation was made possible through months of intelligence sharing and collaboration between Nigerian authorities and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

According to the statement, Canadian investigators traced several luxury vehicles stolen in Canada and illegally exported through international shipping networks before they were discovered in Nigeria.

Customs documents dated May 5, 2026, revealed that the intercepted vehicles included a 2019 Lexus RX350, a 2019 Mercedes Benz G550, a 2023 Land Rover Range Rover, a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, a 2021 Rolls Royce Dawn Convertible, a 2018 Lamborghini Aventador and a 2026 Toyota Tundra.

The Nigeria Customs Service confirmed that all the vehicles had been stolen abroad before being smuggled into the country.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Comptroller Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, had been secretly concealed inside a container carrying other automobiles before Customs officers intercepted it.

He explained that the suspicious consignment had remained under Customs control when intelligence from Canadian authorities prompted immediate enforcement action.

“What initially appeared to be a routine cargo movement quickly developed into an international criminal investigation,” Onyeka said.

“Once intelligence reached us, we placed the consignment under enforcement watch and secured the vehicle pending confirmation from Canadian authorities.”

The Customs boss stated that officers swiftly isolated the affected container after receiving shipping documents and intelligence reports from Canada through official diplomatic and enforcement channels.

He added that the Nigeria Customs Service intentionally delayed the release of the vehicles until Canadian officials arrived in Nigeria to verify and recover them.

“We had individuals attempting to intervene on behalf of others, but the matter was too sensitive,” he said.

“We insisted that the handover must be made directly to the Canadian government in order to protect the integrity of the process.”

Onyeka described the operation as a strong indication of Nigeria’s improving capacity to combat organised international crime and the trafficking of stolen vehicles.

According to him, criminal syndicates are increasingly exploiting global shipping networks to transport stolen vehicles across continents while disguising them as legitimate cargo.

He noted that the successful interception reflected the Nigeria Customs Service’s commitment to strengthening cargo profiling, intelligence gathering and maritime enforcement.

The Comptroller further stated that the operation demonstrated the growing security cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in tackling organised cross border crimes.

“The recovery has further highlighted the ongoing collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling and maritime enforcement, particularly in combating organised cross border crimes involving stolen assets, illicit trade and other fraudulent activities,” he said.

The development comes amid growing international concerns over rising vehicle theft syndicates exploiting weak shipping controls to move stolen luxury automobiles into emerging markets.

Security experts have warned that African ports are increasingly becoming targets for international vehicle theft networks because of the strong demand for exotic cars and weak verification systems in some jurisdictions.

However, Nigerian authorities maintain that recent improvements in cargo intelligence systems and stronger international partnerships are helping to improve surveillance and enforcement at the country’s seaports.

Tin Can Island Port remains one of Nigeria’s busiest entry points for imported vehicles and containerised cargo, processing thousands of shipments annually.