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How stolen Lamborghinis, Rolls-Royce cars ended up in Nigeria — Customs, Canada trace network

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Fresh details have emerged on how international automobile theft syndicates allegedly moved stolen luxury vehicles, including Lamborghinis and a Rolls-Royce, from Canada into Nigeria through global shipping networks before the operation was uncovered by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The discovery, which has triggered renewed scrutiny of transnational cargo trafficking routes linked to West Africa, followed months of intelligence sharing between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The breakthrough culminated in the official handover of the intercepted vehicles on Monday, May 4, 2026, at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, where Canada’s Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Nasser Salihou, formally received the recovered automobiles from the Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Command, Frank Onyeka.

Among the vehicles recovered were a 2019 Lamborghini Huracán, 2018 Lamborghini Aventador, 2021 Rolls-Royce Dawn Convertible, 2019 Mercedes-Benz G550, 2023 Range Rover, 2019 Lexus RX350 and a 2026 Toyota Tundra.

Customs authorities confirmed that all the vehicles had been declared stolen in Canada before being illegally exported through maritime cargo channels and routed toward Nigeria.

Investigators believe the syndicate exploited containerised shipping systems, concealment strategies and falsified cargo documentation to move the vehicles across international borders without immediate detection.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Onyeka disclosed that one of the vehicles, a Toyota Tacoma, was discovered concealed inside a container transporting other automobiles.

According to him, the suspicious consignment had not exited Customs control before intelligence alerts from Canadian authorities prompted immediate intervention by Nigerian Customs officers.

“What appeared to be a routine cargo movement suddenly became an international criminal investigation. Once intelligence and shipping records were transmitted to us, we isolated the container and secured the affected vehicle pending diplomatic verification,” Onyeka stated.

The Customs boss revealed that the Service deliberately refused pressure to release the vehicles to third parties, insisting that only accredited representatives of the Canadian government could complete the recovery process.

“We understood the sensitivity of the case and the international implications involved. We insisted on direct government-to-government handover to preserve the credibility of the operation,” he added.

Security and maritime experts say the incident exposes the growing sophistication of global vehicle theft syndicates increasingly using African ports and shipping corridors to move stolen luxury assets across continents.

Analysts also note that the successful interception may strengthen Nigeria’s reputation in international cargo intelligence cooperation and reinforce ongoing collaboration between Nigerian authorities and foreign law enforcement agencies in tackling organised cross-border crime, illicit trade and smuggling networks.