The Nigeria Police Force, in a significant display of international law enforcement cooperation, has successfully recovered two high-end Toyota vehicles that were stolen in the Netherlands and illegally shipped into Nigeria. The recovered vehicles, a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4, represent a major victory against transnational organized crime and vehicle smuggling networks.

Investigations revealed that the vehicles were originally stolen from the cities of Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland in the Netherlands. Following their theft, they were clandestinely transported and arrived in Nigeria, specifically at the Port of Apapa, Lagos, by late 2023. Their journey involved transit through the Port of Antwerp in Belgium before reaching West African shores.

The recovery operation was a collaborative effort spearheaded by officers from the Interpol National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, working in close synergy with Interpol NCB The Hague. The diligent tracking and investigative work led to the successful recovery of the vehicles in Lagos and Akwa Ibom states within Nigeria.

Upon their recovery, the Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, instituted civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja. These legal processes culminated in the court granting a final forfeiture order. This crucial ruling was issued in favor of the Dutch government, specifically via the vehicles’ insurance company, thereby paving the way for the lawful repatriation of the stolen automobiles.

Following the court’s decision, on October 20, 2025, the Interpol NCB Abuja team formally transferred custody of the recovered vehicles to representatives from both the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria. This act marked the successful conclusion of the cross-border recovery and restitution effort.

Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, lauded the professionalism of the Interpol operatives and commended their effective synergy with international partners, particularly Interpol NCB The Hague. He underscored the Nigeria Police Force’s unwavering commitment to global law enforcement cooperation, emphasizing that the successful recovery and repatriation of these vehicles stand as a testament to the Force’s dedication to denying criminal networks the proceeds of their crimes. The Inspector-General reaffirmed the Force’s resolve to intensify intelligence-led policing against all forms of transnational organized crime.