The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has recorded a major success in its fight against transnational organized crime with the recovery and repatriation of two high-end vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally shipped into Nigeria.
Operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, working in close collaboration with INTERPOL NCB The Hague, traced and recovered the vehicles: a Toyota C-HR (2020 model) and a Toyota RAV4 (2019 model) — from separate locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.
Investigations revealed that the vehicles were stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland before being smuggled through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, and shipped into Apapa Port, Lagos, in late 2023.
Following the recovery, the Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, initiated civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. Upon the conclusion of legal processes, the court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands, represented by the vehicles’ insurance company, enabling their lawful return.
In furtherance of this, the INTERPOL NCB Abuja team, on 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 completion of the cross-border recovery and restitution exercise.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun commended the professionalism of the INTERPOL NCB Abuja operatives and the effective synergy with international partners, particularly INTERPOL NCB The Hague.
According to Benjamin Hundeyin, Force Public Relations Officer, “The successful recovery and repatriation of these vehicles underscore the Nigeria Police Force’s strong commitment to global law enforcement cooperation and the fight against transnational organized crime”.
Hundeyin added that the operation demonstrates the Force’s resolve to ensure that criminal networks involved in cross-border vehicle theft and smuggling are denied the benefits of their illegal activities.
He reaffirmed that the Nigeria Police Force will continue to strengthen intelligence-led policing, deepen international collaboration, and intensify efforts to combat all forms of transnational organized crime.
“This milestone reinforces Nigeria’s credibility as a dependable law enforcement partner on the global stage,” Hundeyin stated.
The successful handover of the recovered vehicles to Dutch authorities represents another milestone in the ongoing cooperation between the Nigeria Police Force and INTERPOL in combating cross-border crime and fostering international justice.
