The Nigeria Police Force has announced the recovery of two high-end vehicles stolen from the Netherlands and illegally imported into Nigeria, marking a major success in its fight against transnational organized crime.

According to a statement issued on Monday by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, operatives of the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB), Abuja, in collaboration with INTERPOL NCB The Hague, traced and recovered the stolen vehicles — a 2020 Toyota C-HR and a 2019 Toyota RAV4 — from separate locations in Lagos and Akwa Ibom States.

Investigations revealed that the cars were stolen from Amsterdam and Midden-Nederland before being shipped to Nigeria through the Port of Antwerp in Belgium, arriving Apapa, Lagos, in late 2023.

Following their recovery, the Nigeria Police, through INTERPOL NCB Abuja, initiated civil forfeiture proceedings at the Federal High Court, Abuja. After due legal processes, the court granted a final forfeiture order in favour of the Government of the Netherlands through the vehicles’ insurance company, paving the way for their lawful return.

In line with the court order, the recovered vehicles were formally handed over on Monday, October 20, 2025, to representatives of the insurance company and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Nigeria.

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, commended the INTERPOL team for their professionalism and for strengthening global law enforcement cooperation.

He said the operation demonstrates Nigeria’s firm commitment to dismantling cross-border criminal networks engaged in vehicle theft and smuggling.

Egbetokun reaffirmed the Force’s resolve to enhance intelligence-led policing and deepen international collaboration to combat all forms of transnational organized crime.