The Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service has intensified its crackdown on vehicle-related crime with the formation of a special task force dedicated to identifying and impounding stolen cars smuggled into the country.
The Director-General of the CID, COP Lydia Yaako Donkor, announced this at a press briefing on Monday, August 4.
COP Donkor said the move forms part of a renewed strategy to disrupt transnational vehicle theft syndicates.
“To further boost the fight against vehicle crime, a special task force has been set up by the CID administration to conduct intelligence-based operations and impound suspected stolen vehicles brought into the country,” she stated.
So far, the task force has seized six vehicles believed to have been stolen from Canada, including four Toyota models, a Toyota RAV4, and a Range Rover. Investigations are ongoing to determine how the vehicles were illegally brought into Ghana.
Preliminary findings suggest that the criminal groups involved have been exploiting international car rental systems.
According to CID intelligence, the syndicates use forged identities to hire vehicles abroad, which are then secretly shipped out of the source countries even while the rental agreements remain valid.
DCOP Donkor explained that the choice of vehicle brands and models points to a calculated attempt to conceal the origins of the stolen cars.
The CID is therefore urging vehicle dealers, importers, and prospective buyers to conduct thorough verification before purchasing or registering any vehicles.
Authorities further assured the public that they are working in collaboration with international security agencies to dismantle the networks behind the illegal trade and prevent Ghana from becoming a safe haven for trafficked vehicles.
In a related development, she announced that the police have retrieved 43 luxury vehicles between January and July 2025, including Rolls-Royce, Porsche, BMW, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz models.
These cars, stolen from Europe and North America, were traced and impounded as part of ongoing cross-border operations.
Source: Adomonline.com
