The Nigeria Customs Service has intercepted several stolen luxury vehicles allegedly smuggled from Canada into Nigeria through the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
The recovered automobiles, which include high-end brands such as Rolls-Royce, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover, were officially handed over to Canadian authorities during a ceremony held at the port.
According to Customs, the operation followed months of intelligence sharing between Nigerian officials and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police over stolen vehicles traced to international shipping networks.
The intercepted vehicles reportedly include a 2019 Lexus RX350, 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, 2023 Range Rover, 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, and a 2026 Toyota Tundra.
The Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Command, Frank Onyeka, said one of the vehicles was hidden inside a container carrying other automobiles before officers intercepted the shipment.
He explained that Customs immediately placed the consignment under surveillance after intelligence reports from Canadian authorities linked the cargo to an international stolen vehicle syndicate.
Speaking during the handover, Onyeka said the operation demonstrated Nigeria’s growing capacity to combat transnational organised crime and illegal automobile trafficking.
The Deputy High Commissioner of Canada to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, received the vehicles on behalf of the Canadian government.
Customs spokesman Abdullahi Maiwada said the successful recovery reflected stronger cooperation between Nigeria and Canada in intelligence sharing, cargo profiling, and maritime enforcement.
Officials added that criminal syndicates increasingly exploit international shipping systems to move stolen luxury vehicles across continents and disguise them as legitimate imports.
Authorities say recent improvements in cargo intelligence and port surveillance are helping Nigerian agencies strengthen security at the country’s seaports, especially at the busy Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.
