Luxury Land Rover Stolen In Canada Traced To Ghana
- A Saskatoon vehicle theft was linked to an international fraud ring operating in Ghana
- Key fraudulent purchases involved Land Rover and BMW X5, traced back to identity theft
- Ghana police emphasise the importance of due diligence for vehicle importers amid rising thefts
A vehicle stolen from a Saskatoon business in Canada was traced to Ghana.
This was part of an international fraud ring that uses identity theft and forged documents to acquire luxury vehicles before shipping them to West Africa.
Source: Getty Images
SaskToday reported that a fraud investigation that began in January 2025 has revealed international connections, with a Land Rover stolen from a business on Faithfull Avenue eventually found in Ghana.
According to police, a man from Alberta visited the business on January 14, 2025 and purchased a Land Rover.
It was later discovered that the vehicle was bought using identity fraud.
Police investigation found the vehicle had been taken to British Columbia, and with help from Edmonton police and the Canada Border Services Agency, officers learned it was being shipped to Ghana.
Officers later confirmed the vehicle was in Ghana.
During the investigation, police received word that a BMW X5 was fraudulently purchased from another business on Faithfull Avenue in February 2025.
Saskatoon police have charged a 21-year-old man with fraud over 5,000 Canadian dollars, theft of a motor vehicle, possession of an identity document belonging to another person, fraudulently impersonating another person, using a forged document and breaching court-imposed conditions.
How the stolen cars end up in Ghana
Ghana police explained that some suspects failed to complete rental agreements abroad, cutting off contact with the rental firms before shipping the vehicles.
Others used fake or stolen credit card details to acquire vehicles through hire-purchase schemes, then disabled their tracking systems before exporting them.
Police stressed that paying customs duties in Ghana does not make a stolen vehicle legal.
It wants vehicle importers to conduct thorough checks before bringing in vehicles from abroad.
Ghana introduces reforms to vehicle licensing
In 2025, the Drivers and Vehicle Licensing Authority in Ghana unveiled a new design for number plates in the country, as part of sweeping reforms to the vehicle registration system, including enhanced tracking.
Among expected benefits, DVLA CEO Julius Kotey stated that the new plates would prevent smuggling, improve tracking, help with future automated toll collection, and make for easier identification.
This plan has since been held up by some legal challenges.
Source: Getty Images
EOCO flags top vehicles smuggled into Ghana
The Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) identified Honda CR-Vs, Ford F-150s, Range Rovers, and Dodge as models commonly smuggled into Ghana.
In a clip shared on Facebook, representatives of the office urged buyers to investigate vehicles, especially new or spotless models, for potential theft.
The EOCO said it is using Interpol's database for vehicle verification and has a range of methods to crack down on stolen vehicles being illegally moved into Ghana.
The recent detention of Shatta Wale over his new Lamborghini has heightened concerns about stolen cars being put up for sale in the country.
US intercepts stolen cars headed for Ghana
In July 2025, YEN.com.gh reported that US Customs and Border Protection officials had foiled an attempt to smuggle stolen vehicles to Ghana.
The officials at the Port of Virginia stopped the shipment, which had been valued at approximately $150,000, in another interception effort.
Officials said the manifest indicated that the shipment contained several cars, but an X-ray scan showed the cars inside did not match the details.
Source: YEN.com.gh
