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In a landmark operation that underscores Nigeria’s growing commitment to international law enforcement collaboration, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has successfully recovered and repatriated two high-end vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally shipped into Nigeria.

According to a statement issued on Monday, October 20, 2025, by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, anipr, mipra, the operation marks a major milestone in the fight against transnational organized crime and vehicle smuggling syndicates.

The breakthrough came through coordinated intelligence sharing and collaboration between the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) Abuja and INTERPOL NCB The Hague, which jointly traced the stolen vehicles—a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4—to separate locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.

Investigations revealed that the vehicles were originally stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland in the Netherlands before being smuggled through the Port of Antwerp, Belgium, and eventually arriving Apapa Port, Lagos, in late 2023.

Following their recovery, the Nigeria Police Force, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, initiated civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja, in compliance with international legal protocols.

Upon the completion of judicial processes, the Court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands, represented by the vehicles’ insurance company, paving the way for their lawful return.

On Monday, the INTERPOL NCB Abuja team formally handed over the recovered vehicles to representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria, thereby concluding the cross-border recovery and restitution process.

Speaking on the success of the operation, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, Ph.D., NPM, lauded the professionalism and dedication of the INTERPOL operatives, emphasizing the importance of sustained international partnerships in tackling global criminal networks.

“This successful recovery and repatriation demonstrate our unwavering commitment to global law enforcement cooperation,” the IGP said. “It also reinforces the Nigeria Police Force’s resolve to ensure that transnational criminal groups are denied the benefits of their illicit activities.”

Egbetokun further assured that the Force remains steadfast in deploying intelligence-led policing and enhancing cross-border intelligence sharing to combat all forms of organized crime, including vehicle theft, smuggling, cybercrime, and money laundering.

The NPF’s collaboration with INTERPOL and the Dutch authorities, he added, sets a strong precedent for mutual legal assistance, reinforcing Nigeria’s position as a reliable partner in international justice and crime prevention efforts.

As the world continues to grapple with the complexities of transnational organized crime, the Nigeria Police Force’s proactive measures and global partnerships highlight a strategic shift toward modern, intelligence-driven policing—anchored on professionalism, accountability, and international cooperation.

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