US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers in Baltimore have intercepted a stolen heavy-duty tractor-bulldozer valued at about $237,000 that was being shipped to Ghana.
In a press release, the CBP said the 2015 Caterpillar D8T machine was stopped on September 3 during a routine export inspection at the Area Port of Baltimore. A check of the vehicle identification number revealed it matched an active theft report filed in Carroll County, Maryland.
The Carroll County Sheriff’s Office later confirmed the report, leading CBP officers to seize the dozer before it could leave the port.
The Acting Area Port Director for Baltimore, Jason Kropiewnicki, said the operation underscored CBP’s commitment to disrupting criminal networks that attempt to smuggle stolen vehicles abroad.
“Customs and Border Protection officers continue to combat transnational criminal organisations by interrupting the international trade in stolen vehicles at our seaports. We will continue to secure our nation’s borders, recover stolen vehicle exports, and work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these criminal organisations accountable,” he stated.
Baltimore is considered one of the busiest hubs for recovering stolen vehicles in the United States.
Last year, the Baltimore Field Office recovered 250 stolen vehicle exports, of which about 60 per cent were bound for West Africa. Ghana accounted for 28 of those recoveries, making it a frequent destination for intercepted shipments.
Nationally, CBP reported a rise in the recovery of stolen vehicles being exported through U.S. ports. In 2024 alone, 1,445 vehicles were seized, a 10 per cent increase compared with 2023 and 81 per cent higher than in 2021.
While auto manufacturers, dealers and insurers have stepped up measures to combat theft — resulting in a 17 per cent fall in reported cases last year — CBP says international trafficking in stolen vehicles remains a growing challenge.
CBP officers at ports of entry are also responsible for screening cargo and travellers, intercepting illicit drugs, unreported currency, counterfeit goods and other prohibited products that threaten US security and economic stability.
Source: Graphic.com
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